There's No Place That Far
by mysticalforces
Summary: Alternate Universe. Catherine Chandler is from one of the richest families in town. She's cynical and very broken. Vincent Keller is one of the highest ranking teachers in California. Their relationship is all wrong but he seems to get her like no one else and from the beginning he's desperate to help her. Student/Teacher falling in love controversy. {VinCat}
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Catherine Chandler groaned for what seemed like the hundredth time.

It was her first day of senior year and she could not find her last class of the day.

She really thought she'd covered this whole building during orientation back when she'd started freshman year.

_Apparently not_, She ruefully decided.

Catherine's apprehension grew when she saw the yellow color of the lockers.

"This is _freshman_ wing!" Catherine whimpered, putting her head in her hands. "Not good, so not good..."

She looked over at the clock and felt her tension mount.

If she didn't get a move on and figure out where in the hell she was supposed to be pronto, she was gonna be late.

That word was so foreign to her.

Catherine Chandler was going to be late.

Catherine could not be late, that just was not an option. She'd never been late for a thing in her life, and she sure as shit wasn't going to start now.

She looked up at the clock and realized she may not have a choice in the matter.

She was gonna be late for class and get...detention.

She could feel her nerves build up as she thought about what her parents would say...what they would do...to her.

_Life really was a bitch and than you died_ was all Catherine could think right at this very moment.

She looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

Two minutes left.

Maybe if she really hauled ass, she could get the hell off this wing.

Catherine took off and started racing down the halls again. She was half way to the yellow lockers when she felt herself slam into a solid form, the impact of the force crashing them both to the ground.

Catherine moaned at the pain she felt in her back as fell to the ground. She could've sworn it cracked.

Not wanting this stranger she'd crashed into to see her tears, she hid her face in the floor.

"Oh my God," An older man's voice said full of worry and sorrow. "Kid, are you okay?"

Catherine took in a deep breath as she struggled to stop her tears. She couldn't let this guy see her cry, she couldn't. "I'll live," She croaked out.

The guy gently smiled at her. "You've gotta be hurt, I saw how you fell, straight onto your back. I bet it hurts like hell." She felt him gently touch her shoulder. "Here, let me help you up. I'll take you the nurse's office."

At that statement, Catherine found the strength to make her tears stop. That could not happen. If she went to the nurse's office, they'd call her parents, and if they called her parents, her parents would come down here and if her parents came down here...

Catherine felt her head spin at those ideas. Oh, no, no, no. That just was not an option.

She lifted her head and any words that were going to come out of her mouth completely died when her eyes met his.

Right in front of her face was the most gorgeous guy she'd ever laid eyes upon before in her life.

Their eyes met and for a brief second she felt like he was looking right into her soul and she was looking right into his.

"Hey," The guy gently touched her face and it made her shiver. "you're not gonna pass out on me, are you?" He shook his head. "You know what, it's okay. I'll just carry you to the office and it'll be okay..."

Just like that, Catherine got her senses back. "No!" She quickly shouted. "I don't need to go see the nurse. I am fine, I promise."

He looked hesitant. "Are you sure? You took a pretty bad fall."

Catherine smiled at his obvious concern. Back in the fifth grade she'd broken her arm falling out of a tree and her dad couldn't even be bothered to go to the hospital with her. She didn't even know this guy and he seemed to care more than her dad did.

"I'm positive." Catherine assured him. "I'm sorry about knocking into you like that. Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked into her eyes with a look she couldn't quite define. "You know, in the future you may not want to run so fast," His brow furrowed as she detected a hint of scolding in them. "Or at all."

"Right," Catherine quickly responded. "I shouldn't have ran into you at all, and I am so sorry about that. I never run like that usually, I promise."

Her eyes scanned over at the fallen papers out of a briefcase and she felt her heart stop.

A teacher.

She'd just ran into a fucking teacher.

Scratch that, she'd just been crushing on a teacher.

_Just great_, She thought sarcastically. _My first day was going fine and the last hour of the day, I'm gonna get detention for running in the halls and knocking a teacher down in the process. Just fucking great_.

The older guy suddenly broke out into a laugh. "Relax kid, I'm just messing with you."

Catherine's eyes shot up. "Huh?" She already felt herself being so into him and the phrase 'messing with you' caused her mind to go places it really shouldn't be going with a teacher.

He looked at her amused. "I was joking. You know? It's that thing where someone says something and it's like meant to be one of those things that makes the other person-"

"Right, right!" Catherine laughed nervously. "I get it. I get what joking means. I'm not retarded."

He laughed along with her. "I'm sure you're not. You do seem like you might be a little lost though, Miss…"

"Chandler." Catherine supplied and didn't miss the look of recognition in the man's eyes. Sadly everyone in town knew of her family. "Catherine Chandler. Sorry, I seem to have forgotten my manners along with my common sense all of a sudden."

He laughed again. "Hey, it's fine. First days can be very rocky. It's nice to meet you, Catherine. I'm Vincent Keller, the kids call me Mr K though."

Catherine was surprised. Teachers never introduced themselves to her by their full name. There was something so different about him. Almost like he could be the kind of guy she could talk to, even with him being a teacher and all.

Vincent seemed to catch on to her surprise and he elaborated. "I like to try and get to know my students, so giving them my full name just seems to help ease things along."

Catherine smiled. "What makes you think I'm one of your students?"

"Senior, right?" Vincent said, pointing to her id pass.

Catherine lightly chuckled. "You caught me."

Vincent laughed also. "Well, seeing as with you being a senior and all….you have to take psychology in order to graduate…"

"So, _you're_ my psych teacher." Catherine realized, her eyes held noticeable relief.

"You seem happy about that." Vincent noted. "Aw, were you worried you were gonna wind up with Mr Marks?"

Catherine nodded. Although lots of students liked Mr Evan Marks, she'd heard he could be kind of a jerk at times. "Immensely."

Vincent laughed. "I would up stick for him, but he can be kind of a di-" He broke off as if he realized that he was talking to a student and not some girl he'd just met that was his own age. "Jerk. Big jerk."

This time it was Catherine's turn to smile at him in amusement. "I think I'm gonna like you, Mr K."

Vincent smiled at her warmly. "I think I'm gonna like you too, Catherine." He reached down and helped her gather her papers and books.

"Thank you," Catherine smiled gratefully. "although, shouldn't I be doing that? I mean, I did run into you. Still sorry about that."

Vincent looked up at her, his eyes suddenly serious. "Well, just don't do it again. This is a school, not a playground."

Catherine nodded, worry in her eyes. "I so will not, I promise. I was trying to find your class and not be late, but that's no excuse. I shouldn't have…"

"Catherine!" Vincent cut her off with a slight laugh. "I am _messing_ with you!"

"Oh," Catherine said and than gave a small smile. "You have to stop doing that to me. You're like giving me two strokes in five minutes."

"I'm _that_ intimidating, huh?" Vincent smirked.

Catherine rolled her eyes, feeling completely at ease with him now. "You're a teacher. You could screw up my college plans, not to mention my record. Coming from two parents who expect nothing but perfection…"

"That's just a parent's right." Vincent smiled at her. "If they didn't love you, they wouldn't be on your case. Remember that."

"I wish they did," Catherine muttered, sadness entering her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. You okay?" Vincent asked with concern.

Catherine quickly plastered on a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." A bell rings.

Vincent laughed. "Well, I am totally late."

"Me too," Catherine sighed. "I was lost though, what's your excuse?"

Vincent appeared to look thoughtful before replying. "Injured by a student."

Catherine laughed. "You're funny."

He shrugged. "Hey, I try." He picked up his briefcase and stood up. "C'mon, I'll show you to class. Unless, you were planning on skipping?"

Catherine smirked. "Oh my parents would just _love_ that! On second thought, maybe I'll do that. It's always nice to freak them out."

"You're gonna be trouble, I can tell." Vincent noted with a hint of amusement.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Oh, you don't know my parents."

Catherine stood up and she felt a shooting pain rip through her back. "Son of a bitch!" She slumped back to the ground and quickly covered her mouth. She really needed to quit while she was ahead with this guy.

Vincent felt himself slightly chuckle at the look of mortification on the girl's face for swearing in front of him.

"Oh god. Please, don't give me a detention Mr K." Catherine pleaded, tears nearly coming into her eyes and it made Vincent's eyes soften. This poor girl was really afraid. "I wasn't expecting to feel such a sharp pain in my back like that, I'd never swear normally and..."

"Catherine!" Vincent knelt down to her level. "I am not going to give you a detention, okay? You're not even in my class yet and you didn't really do anything wrong. I get why you swore." He gave her a small smile. "Take my hand, I'll help you walk to the nurse's office."

"No!" Catherine instantly responded. "I don't need to go, I'm fine."

Vincent raised his eyebrow at her stubbornness. "Wow, you are _really_ strong willed. Most girls would be happy to go to the nurse's station and get out of school an hour early."

"Yeah, well I'm not most girls, okay? I have no one to come get me anyway." Catherine told him. "My parents are really busy people and I have to keep moving. Life is hard and you can't just quit the moment things get rough."

Vincent looked at her stunned. This girl couldn't be any older than seventeen, but he could've sworn he was talking to a twenty six year old. "I don't care how busy your parents are, Catherine...they're your parents. It's their _job_ to take care of you."

_Yeah right_, Catherine thought bitterly. _They have never taken care of me. They may put a roof over my head and give me a five thousand dollar credit limit every month, but they haven't shown me love ever_.

"I can take care of me, okay?" Catherine responded. "I really need to finish this day. Don't make me go home, please."

Vincent seemed to consider her for a moment before nodding his head. "I admire your strength, Catherine." He gently took her hand in his, helping her stand and watching her grimace. "I'm still taking you to the nurse's station. Make sure your back isn't fractured."

Catherine sighed. "Fine, okay. If you must. I don't want my parents bothered though, okay? They are busy people. They wouldn't be happy if you called them."

Vincent helped Catherine walk down the hallway, his arm around her waist.

"They can't be that bad," Vincent insisted.

"Tell ya what, you meet them and than we'll talk." Catherine retorted.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites! Surprised by how much attention this story has already gotten :) Hope you guys like this new chapter and please continue to review :)

Chapter 2

**Two Weeks Later**

It was the morning of Senior Portraits day.

Catherine critically looked at herself in the mirror for the tenth time in an half hour.

She was wearing one of her fancier white summer dresses and her hair was left down.

She quickly checked her watch.

Crap.

She had about twenty minutes left before she had to be in first period.

Catherine sighed and quickly pulled her hair back into a simple ponytail.

_That would have to do_, she decided.

Catherine grabbed her bag and quickly strutted down the stairs.

"Catherine, is _that_ what you're wearing to school today?"

Catherine sighed as she heard the obvious disdain in her mother's voice and turned around to face her.

"Yes, it is." She answered briskly. "Why?"

Amelia Chandler looked her daughter over critically. "I thought today was the day for senior portraits."

"It is." Catherine answered.

"That's what you're wearing?" Amelia's voice was filled with disdain.

"I thought we covered this already, mother." Catherine replied. "Yes, this is what I'm wearing, yes it's senior portrait day. I have to go or I'm going to be late. Wouldn't you just hate that?"

"Go." Amelia nodded, put off for the moment.

"Glad to have your permission," Catherine said with a roll of her eyes.

"Catherine, why do you _insist_ on rebelling against me every chance you get?" Amelia demanded.

"Why do _you_ insist on showing your disappointment in me every chance you get?" Catherine shot back.

"I'll stop being disappointed in you when you stop giving me reasons to be disappointed." Amelia responded back harshly.

Catherine could feel tears begin to sting her eyes and quickly pushed them back. She could show no weakness, that would only fuel her mother's disappointment in her.

"Thanks for the love, mom." Catherine responded sarcastically before quickly fleeing out the door, slamming it behind her.

"What was that all about?" Todd Chandler asked as he came from the kitchen, a cup of coffee in the hand.

"Oh, the usual." Amelia replied. "I'm the bad guy as usual."

"But of course." Todd smirked. "That is the way things seem to work about here."

"Is it just too much to ask for our daughter show a little ambition? To take the proper steps into being the kind of daughter we raised?" Amelia asked with a sigh.

The smirk fell from Todd's face and it was replaced with disappointment. "I don't know, baby. Sometimes I think you didn't give birth to her at all."

Catherine practically sped to school and the car squeaked as it came to a stop, nearly hitting someone in her rage.

"Geez, Catherine what the hell!" Heather yelled in shock.

Catherine sighed, the state she was in she'd go off on Heather even when she was the one in the wrong.

"Sorry about that, Heather." Catherine said briskly as she got out of her car.

"Sorry?" Heather's eyes were still wide from the near death experience. "You nearly _killed_ me!"

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Heather stop being so over dramatic." She slung her bag over her shoulders. "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead."

With that, Catherine took off leaving Heather to gaze after her friend in shock.

Catherine entered the school building and ran smack into Vincent.

"Mr K." Catherine muttered, feeling all of her senses just fade away at the mere sight of him.

Vincent steadied the girl who nearly crashed the both of them to the ground again. "Catherine," He said with a slight smirk. "I thought we talked about this."

Catherine nodded. "We did and you're just messing with me again, right?"

Vincent smiled before shaking his head. "Actually not this time." The smile fell and it was replaced with slight worry. "I saw what happened in the parking lot."

The color drained from Catherine's face. "No one was hurt!" She blurted out in defense.

Vincent shook his head and gave her a scolding look. "That's not the point, Catherine. You were speeding and you nearly hit Heather. It was reckless and you could've killed her."

Catherine turned away from him and put her face in her hands as she struggled to not lose it in front of him. Her morning had already been terrible and she didn't think she could take anymore criticism.

"Catherine," Vincent wasn't trying to be cruel, but he needed her to get what she'd almost done and so far it just looked like she was trying to ignore him. "Listen, yo-"

Catherine spun around, her emotions on full force. "What?!" She shrieked, causing Vincent's eyes to go wide. "What do you _want_ from me, huh?! You wanna tell me how disappointed you are in me?! You wanna tell me what's wrong with my dress and how I just suck at _everything_ I do?!"

"Catherine, please lower your voice." Vincent advised, noticing the other kids starting to stare. "What's going on?" He asked softly. "Why are you getting so upset here? I'm just talking to you. You're not in any trouble."

Catherine covered her face with her hands to try and stop the tears. "I don't know what to do anymore." She cried brokenly.

Vincent looked around and with all the students crawling around, he didn't see this as the best place to have a discussion that he clearly needed to have with her.

Something else was clearly going on with this girl or else she wouldn't have gotten so upset. He had this need to council a student whenever they were in any type of distress and it wasn't just that, he thought to himself. He liked this girl for reasons that went far beyond anything that they should have.

"Ok," Vincent spoke gently, placing his hand on her shoulder as if to calm her some. "C'mon, Catherine. Come with me."

The second bell rang and Catherine quickly wiped her tears. "I can't," She choked out. "I'm really sorry for going psycho on you but I have to get to class. I can't be late."

Vincent knew he should probably let her go, but for reasons that were selfish he couldn't. He needed to know what was wrong with her.

"I'll write you a pass, okay?" Vincent assured her. "C'mon, come with me for a few minutes."

Catherine nodded. "Ok, I'll come with you."

"So," Vincent said leading Catherine into his empty classroom and shutting the door behind him. "have a seat."

Catherine walked over to one of the desks in the front row and sat down.

Vincent walked around and sat on his desk in front of her. "Wanna tell me why you got upset back there?"

Catherine sighed a little embarrassed. "It's been a bad morning, Mr K." She began softly. "That's not an excuse for me to endanger other people with my driving, nor was it an excuse to completely lose it on you back there." She looked up at him with a tiny smile. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." Vincent nodded. "I'm sorry for whatever I said that upset you. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad about yourself."

Catherine nodded. "I know. You have to know that my outburst back there had _nothing_ to do with you, okay? It's been an awful morning and what you saw and heard was the direct result of a bad fight with my mother."

Catherine raised his eye brow in concern. "You're having problems at home?"

Catherine laughed. "I'm _always_ having problems at home, Mr K." She quickly rushed to explain on when she noticed the frown and deep concern on her teacher's face. "No, no! It's nothing like _that_, I assure you. They don't beat me, I'm not in any danger."

Vincent didn't appear to be convinced. "Listen, if something like that ever _does_ happen, I don't want you to be afraid to tell so-"

"It won't and it never has!" Catherine said loudly, before calming down. "Listen, sadly there is no great bond between my parents and I but they have never laid a hand on me." Vincent nodded, seeming to be convinced. "Not that they need to. Why beat me, when their words can do it for them?"

Vincent looked concerned again. "They verbally abuse you?" That was a whole nother issue all together and in his book verbal abuse was just as bad if not worse than physical abuse.

Catherine sighed as she stood up. "Listen, there is nothing going on at home that _I_ cannot handle, okay? Can this just be considered as like a teacher/student confidentiality thing?" She saw his hesitancy. "Please," She begged. "I am not in danger and they do not hurt me. If you were to tell someone, _you'd_ be the one that was hurting me."

That seemed to convince Vincent, although he was still hesitant. "Ok, but I have to tell you if I ever see a mark on you or if I suspect that they _are_ hurting you, I will have no choice but to tell someone. That's not just my job as your teacher, that's my job as your friend."

Catherine stood still, seeming to be in shock at that last statement. "We're friends?"

Vincent smiled warmly. "I'd like to think so."

"Isn't there like some kind of rule on teachers and students being in a relationship? Even a friendship one?" Catherine asked curiously.

Vincent got up and walked over to her. She felt her heart flutter in her throat.

"Don't tell anyone, but there are some rules I don't follow. And since we're friends now you can call me Vincent, atleast when we're not in class." He said with a softness and Catherine could've sworn there was some kind of huskiness to it as well.

Catherine smiled as she felt something wonderful shift in what was becoming such a bad day for her. "Ok, Vincent. Your secret is safe with me."

Vincent smiled in return. "As are yours, Catherine." He than took a step back from her. "I'll go get that slip."

"But I didn't even tell you the whole story." Catherine said somewhat confused.

"I didn't need the whole story." Vincent responded.

"You didn't?" Catherine asked.

Vincent shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, you ever wanna talk I'm here, and I'd like to hear it sometime, but that's not why I insisted on bringing you back here for a few minutes."

"Than why did you?" Catherine asked curiously.

"I didn't want you to go to class until I was sure you were okay, and I..." He trailed off.

"You what?" Catherine asked, her curiosity peaking.

Vincent seemed to contemplate telling her this. "Can you keep another secret?"

Catherine smiled as she nodded. "Of course. I can keep lots of secrets."

Vincent grinned. "Ok, I..." His face turned slightly serious. "I wanted to make you smile."

Catherine looked stunned and Vincent winked at her and turned around to get the slip.

Catherine felt herself almost slump into the seat of the desk.

This was definitely new and terrifying territory.

She was on the fast paced road of falling for her her teacher, and from the way he was looking at her, she had a feeling that maybe just maybe he was on that road with her too.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**A Week Later**

"Hey, Cat over here!"

Catherine turned around, she had her lunch tray in hand as she recognized the familiar voice of her best friend.

She walked over to her best friend, Tess's table and almost wished she'd pretended she hadn't heard her when she saw the others she was greeted with.

"Hey, Tess!" Catherine forced herself to gush as if happy as could be. "What's up, everyone?"

"Actually, we wanted to ask _you_ that, Cat." Tess replied.

Catherine took a seat and remained nonchalant. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Heather mentioned that you almost ran her over?" Tess gave her friend a pointed look.

Catherine inwardly grimaced. She should've realized Heather would spill that little tid bit. She was the gabbiest one in the whole bunch.

"Yeah," Catherine laughed nervously. "Sorry about that, Heather."

Heather shrugged. "It's cool. So, what was up with you disappearing with Mr K for a half hour?"

_I knew I should've gone out for lunch_, Catherine thought to herself. _But no I decided to eat in the lunch room with the firing squad_.

"He uh..." Catherine ran a hand through her hair. "He saw me nearly hit you and reprimanded me about it."

"Wow," Heather said surprised. "He always seemed to easy going."

Catherine shrugged. "Yeah, well all's not as it always seems. He's a jackass and a loser." She inwardly felt bad about badmouthing someone who had recently become a good friend to her, but she couldn't let them think she had anything going with Mr K.

Sure, they were all nice to her, but they could be lethal. She didn't want them getting the wrong impression or spreading false rumors around.

"I'm sure you told him who your parents are, right?" Tess spoke up. She saw something she couldn't quite place in her friend's eyes. This was all a front. Why, she could not figure out.

"I don't want any special treatment because my parents happen to own half this town," Catherine replied tensely.

"I don't get you, Cat." Another girl from the table who was sitting next to Tess. "If I had your kind of power, I'd be using that right up. Why don't you?"

"I don't believe in abusing something just cause you have it," Catherine replied tersely. "I'll see you all later."

"Cat," Tess called confused. "You just sat down. We have like forty minutes left."

"I think it's the lunch room or something guys," Catherine replied, the lie rolling right off her tongue. "I'm starting to feel stuffy."

"Do you want us to come with?" Tess asked concerned.

"Tess, she doesn't need you to hold her hand every five minutes," Heather teased.

Catherine forced a fake smile. "It's cool, Tess. I just need some air. See you all later,"

With that, Catherine took off out of the lunch room.

"You'd think she hates being around us or something," Alex spoke up.

Tess looked at the girl sitting next to Heather before nodding her head. "Yeah, that's _exactly_ what you'd think..."

Catherine briskly walked from wing to wing until she was onto the junior wing.

"I don't know what's happening to me," Catherine whispered to herself. "I _hate_ my friends..." She ran a hand through her hair as she shook her head. "No," She corrected herself firmly. "I hate who I become when I'm _around_ my friends and that's just the simple truth."

Catherine sighed as she slid down the lockers to the ground.

It was like whenever she was around them, she felt like she had to tell them what they'd want to hear.

It was no new thing, she'd been doing it ever since middle school. So, what had changed? Why was this bothering her now?

Than, it suddenly hit Catherine like a ton of bricks.

It was Mr K...Vincent...her teacher...it was him.

He was rapidly becoming one of her best friends and she cared about him. For the first time since becoming best friends with Tess, she cared about someone more than she cared about herself or her stupid social rep.

That's why lying about him in such a negative manner had bothered her so much that she'd high-tailed it away from all of her friends.

It had hurt her to lie about him and that was the honest truth.

"Tess, where do you think she went?"

Catherine inwardly grimaced as she recognized Heather's voice.

"God, can't I have like five minutes to myself?!" Catherine groaned. She quickly stood up and scampered off in the opposite direction.

Ten minutes later, Catherine was still dodging her friends and it looked to her like she'd wound up right where she'd started off at.

With a sigh, she leaned against the lockers.

"You can come in here if you want."

Catherine's head snapped up at the familiar voice, she looked over and saw Vincent sitting at his desk with a bunch of papers.

Catherine slightly smiled as she walked over to his door. "And why on earth would I want to spend my remaining lunch time with _you_?"

"Hey, it's your choice." Vincent shrugged. "Don't feel obligated or anything, but if you continue to run through the halls, another teacher might ask you to give up _all_ of your lunch time and not be as nice as I'm being." He looked up at her with a slight smirk. "But, hey it's your choice."

Catherine walked into his classroom and sat at the desk right in front of his.

"Wise move," Vincent acknowledged with a smile.

"Was I really running?" Catherine asked.

Vincent smiled. "Actually more like sprinting, but that doesn't change the fact that you still aren't supposed to be playing musical chairs in the hallways while other classes are in progress."

Catherine nodded. "I know, I know. Not the brightest move on my part."

"So, why were you?" Vincent asked.

"I really wasn't playing a game or trying to interrupt a class, I was just trying to get a little peace." Catherine admitted.

Vincent furrowed his eyebrow in concern. "What's going on?"

Catherine sighed. "It's my friends...they can be a little too much at times. I needed some space from them."

"You're avoiding your friends?" Vincent asked her confused.

Catherine nodded. "I love them, Mr K, do not misunderstand me, but..."

"But?" Vincent encouraged.

"But sometimes I wanna push them off a cliff!" Catherine blurted and than let out a breath. She felt some kind of relief at saying that, finally she had one person in her life she could be honest with.

Vincent looked at her stunned before letting out a slight laugh. "Um, I gotta be honest Catherine, you caught me off guard with that one..."

"Sorry," Catherine laughed. "That was a little over dramatic, but you have no idea what it's like not to be able to be real with anyone. It's exhausting and it even makes you feel like sometimes you're going just a little crazy."

"You can be real with me, Catherine." Vincent told her seriously.

Catherine smiled softly. "Thanks and that means a lot to me. I'm so tired of pretending with them and I kind of felt like I just couldn't do it anymore today, so I dodged them."

"Do you wanna talk about why?" Vincent asked, his eyes studying her gently.

"I, um..." Catherine sighed as she decided to just be honest and upfront with him. "I kind of owe you an apology."

"For what?" Vincent asked her confused.

"At lunch, I was sitting with my friends and I said some bad things about you." Catherine admitted and rushed on as if to stop him from thinking the worst of her. "I didn't mean them though!" She ran a hand through her hair. "I didn't mean any of them. I just...God this is gonna sound so lame and superficial, but I only badmouthed you to my friends because I didn't want them to think there was something between us and start spreading false stuff around."

"What's superficial about that?" Vincent asked her. "It sounds like your heart was in the right place."

Catherine sighed. "It was but it wasn't."

"Ok?" Vincent was confused once again.

"Ok," Catherine placed her hands in front of her as she leaned forward. "this is the part where you're totally gonna think less of me..."

"I doubt it," Vincent interrupted with a soft smile.

He was completely convinced that this girl was alot harder on herself than anyone else could ever be and he worried about what that kind of thing was doing to her self esteem.

Catherine paused and than looked up into his eyes. "Why?"

"Why do I doubt that I'll think less of you?" Vincent asked.

"Why…_all_ of it?" Catherine asked him. "From the first day that I carelessly knocked you over making the both of us late...you've never been anything but nice to me. Why? Why are you always so nice to me?"

Vincent slightly frowned. What had happened to this beautiful girl to make her think so less of herself? The more he thought about it he realized it had to be a who. It was a question of, who had happened to her. "Why do you think I shouldn't I be?"

"Because..." Catherine sighed. "I'm a fake and a fraud. I'm not this great person that you think I am. You shouldn't want to be friends with me Mr..." She paused as she remembered that he told her she could call him Vincent as long as class wasn't in progress. That made her feel worse. He truly thought of her as a friend. "Vincent," She stressed. "You shouldn't want to be friends with me, you should want to get as far away from me as you can."

Vincent looked at her sadly and his heart went out to her. "Why?"

"Because I'll just wind up disappointing you." Catherine admitted. "I disappoint everyone. All I _am_ is a disappointment..."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"A disappointment?" Vincent stood up and walked around his desk and took a seat in the one right beside Catherine's. "Oh, Catherine. I'm sure that's not true." She was beautiful, warm and kind. He couldn't see how she could ever be a disappointment and it saddened him beyond words that she thought so little of herself.

"Oh, but it is." Catherine chuckled bitterly. "Heard it my whole damn life."

"Catherine…" Vincent was at a loss of what to say to her, of how to help her. She seemed so cynical and underneath her tough façade, he could see an innocent broken hearted girl trying to deal with a lifetime of pain and abandonment.

"Well," Catherine plastered on a fake smile. "Thank you for letting me hide out in here. This was a great talk, Mr K."

Vincent frowned. She was shutting him out and that worried him. She needed to let somebody in or the pain was gonna consume her. God help him, he desperately wanted to be that somebody. "It's Vincent, remember? We're not in class right now."

"No," The fake smile on Catherine's face was replaced by sadness. A sadness that broke Vincent Keller's heart. "we're not. But uh…" She folded her hands in front of her which Vincent could tell was a defensive stance, almost as if she was hesitant to tell him something. "Look, I don't think this friends thing is such a great idea."

"Why not?" Vincent almost demanded.

Catherine ran a hand through her hair as she looked anywhere but into his eyes. "You're my teacher. It's just not a…"

"Don't." Vincent cut her off sharply. "If you don't want to tell me why, that's fine. I won't force you, but do not lie to me, Catherine."

"Alright." Catherine replied with a hard edge laced in her tone. "You want the truth? Here it is. You've been really nice to me from day one. You've listened to me and I appreciate it. I truly do. I just…I _honestly_ don't have any room in my life for a new friend."

"Oh." Vincent said softly.

"I'm sorry." Catherine stood up, grabbed her bag and turned around to leave.

"Catherine, wait a second." Vincent stood up.

Catherine sighed. He really wasn't making this easy for her. "Vincent, please."

"I never asked you to be _my_ friend, you know." Vincent spoke softly behind her. "I never asked you to take on my problems, carry my burdens. I never asked you to do _any_ of that and I wasn't about to start now."

Catherine slowly turned around, confusion written all over her face. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. You _don't_ want to be friends?" Despite what she'd just said to him, him not wanting to be her friend hurt her way more than it should have.

Vincent took a step closer to Catherine. "I want to be _your_ friend, Catherine. I want to take on _your_ problems and I want to carry _your_ burdens."

Catherine's eyes were filled with unshed tears. "You…you…you want…" A tear rolled down her face and she quickly wiped it away. "You're _asking_ to be my real friend, but you're not asking me to be yours?" Vincent nodded. There was disbelief written in Catherine's eyes. "Seriously?!"

"Yeah." Vincent breathed deeply. "Seriously. I wouldn't lie to you, Catherine. I would _never_ lie to you."

"Why?" Catherine demanded. "Why would you? You must want _something_." Her tone took on a desperate one as she couldn't believe that someone could be so selfless for her. No one ever had before. "_Everybody_ wants something."

"Not me." Vincent said softly.

"Come on." Catherine laughed bitterly. "You're a guy, aren't you?"

Vincent's eyes met Catherine's and read the insinuation in them. It shocked, saddened and disgusted him above all else. "I'm your _teacher_, Catherine. What you are suggesting is completely unethical not to mention wrong and depraved on so many levels." He spat at her harshly.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Catherine muttered.

Vincent's eyes went wide and wave of intense anger washed over him. "Excuse me?!" He suddenly had the strongest urge to go find whoever had made her feel like she couldn't talk to someone without strings being attached and beat the shit out of them.

"Nothing." Catherine quickly shook her head.

She'd opened herself up enough and was already regretting it. In her experience, you let someone in and it gave them license to shatter you. In her family, opening up, caring, shedding tears…they were all weaknesses. Catherine Chandler hated being weak.

Vincent glared at her and Catherine sighed. "Ok, not nothing. I don't feel like sharing though. That cool?" With a softer tone she added, "Maybe I'll tell you someday."

Vincent nodded. "Fair enough."

"So, if you don't want anything from me than why are you offering to be my only real friend?" Catherine asked.

It saddened Vincent that he would be her only real friend. She was too special, too beautiful not to be surrounded by a bunch of real friends. "You want the honest truth?"

"If you can _bare_ it." Catherine said, her tone hard and tough.

Vincent smirked. She was definitely a far cry from being Pollyanna, but he honestly believed that she was worth it. She was worth the time and the trouble. She was special and he was determined to make her see that, to make her believe that. "The honest truth is that I care about you. I honestly like you and…and you need me."

Catherine scoffed indignantly. "Please. I do not _need_ anybody. I'm not some damsel in distress. "It's a tough world, remember? And this life is no fairytale, the only one who is gonna take care of me is myself. "

"That's it!" Vincent shouted excitedly as if he'd just won something.

Catherine frowned and looked at him as if he'd grown two heads. "What's it?"

"That's why you need me, Catherine Chandler." Vincent grinned. "You are a cynical, self deprecating girl with _absolutely_ no belief in happy endings."

Catherine glared at Vincent. "You insult _all_ your friends this way or am I just special?"

"You are." Vincent said seriously, the smirk gone from his face. He needed her to take this if nothing else he ever says to her seriously. "Special, that is. You are a _very_ special girl."

Catherine scoffed, that wasn't the first time somebody called her special but it was the first time she refused to believe the words. She was never going to be played a fool again by anyone .

"Please." She turned to walk away and Vincent lightly grabbed her arm.

"That's why you need me, Catherine." Vincent said gently, he brushed a few strands of her hair back. "You gotta let somebody in."

Catherine swallowed roughly and turned around to meet his gentle and caring gaze. The caring, the gentleness, and the intensity in his eyes were all too much for her to take.

Catherine yanks her arm out of his grasp and turns around flees from the room.

She never once turned around.

Vincent sighed deeply. And leaned back against his desk.

"I won't give up on you, Catherine Chandler." Vincent softly spoke aloud. "You have to let somebody in, you just have to. I'll be here when you're ready."

Catherine ran straight into the women's restroom.

She stopped in front of the mirror.

She was breathing heavily.

Tears were streaming down her face.

She was gasping…choking on the sobs that were rising in her throat.

He'd gotten to her.

Vincent Keller had really gotten to her and his words had terrified her.

"_You gotta let somebody in."_

"Why?" She asked aloud despairingly. "Why in the hell should I let _him_ or anyone else into my life, into my heart? Why? So they can shatter me even more than I already _am_?!"

Catherine shook her head and roughly wiped away her tears.

"No way in hell am I letting that happen." She firmly spoke aloud.

"Letting what happen?"

Catherine spun around, startled. "Tess."

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Tess asked in a voice full of care and concern. "Me and the girls have been looking _everywhere_ for you." She looked over her friend's fragile appearance. "You look like a mess."

"It's nothing." Catherine replied. "I'm just having a really bad day is all."

"Well, what's going on?" Tess pressed. "You know I'm here for you."

Catherine sighed as against her better judgment she began to spill what was troubling her to her friend. "It all started this morning. My mom was a total bitch and she totally criticized my appearance like she _always_ seems to do. I wound up leaving completely pissed and upset."

"Well, I'm sorry Sweetie but how long has your mom been a bitch for? Like forever, right? Isn't it time you got over letting her upset you?" Tess pointed out.

Catherine blinked back the tears that were caused by her own best friend not getting her. "Yeah, right." She answered weakly. "That wouldn't have bothered me, but then there's Mr K."

"You're _still_ upset cause he yelled at you this morning?" There was criticism written in Tess's eyes and Catherine regretted ever opening up to her. "Cat not to be a bitch because you know I love you, but when are you gonna stop being such a drama queen? I really believe that if you could just let the little stuff go, you could actually be happy."

"Yeah," Catherine wiped away a stray tear and plastered on her world famous fake smile. "you're absolutely right, Tess. I need to stop being so ridiculous and I will."

Catherine quickly hugged Tess and pulled back, rushing toward the door before she completely broke down.

"Cat?" Tess called out. "You're ok now, right?"

Catherine turned around, the fake smile plastered across her features. "Never been better."

Catherine leaves and Tess watches her go, still slightly worried but shrugs it off. She really didn't have time for any mini dramas.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Catherine took off down the hall.

She needed to see the one person who understood her, the one person she was scared to death of letting in and the one person she feared had already fought his way in.

Catherine stopped right in front of his classroom.

She hesitated a mid second before knocking lightly on his door.

"Come in." She heard him call out.

Catherine opened his door, walked in, and gently shut it behind her.

"Catherine," He said surprised. The smile instantly fell from his face and was replaced by worry when he saw her tear filled face. "What's wrong?"

"I um…" Catherine swallowed roughly. "I have a free period."

Vincent's frown deepened. That wasn't an answer. "So do I."

Suddenly Catherine launched herself into his arms and gripped him tightly, burying her face into his chest.

Vincent's arms instantly wrapped around her shaking form, but his expression was confused and still very concerned. "Catherine? What is it, Kiddo?"

"Don't." Catherine choked out as she cried stormily into his chest. "Please, don't tell me that this is wrong or inappropriate or that I'm being a total drama queen or whatever."

"Okay, okay." Vincent said soothingly as he held on to her a little bit tighter. If she needed to be held than that is exactly what he would do. "It's alright, Sweetheart."

"You said that I needed to let somebody in and as much I hate it, I think you're it. So, can you…can you please just hold on to me and not let go?" Catherine hiccupped against him as she held on for dear life. "Can you please just not let go?" She whispered.

"Of course." Vincent said gently without hesitation. In the state that she was in, he would've promised her anything. He would've promised her anything in the entire world to make her pain stop. "I won't let go of you Sweetheart, I promise."

He wasn't sure what had hurt her so bad to send her running to him for comfort, but he was thankful that she had to come to him. He was thankful she was opening up to him. He wanted to help her so badly. It was scaring him how much he cared for her. He was determined not to cross that line, he'd never cross that line. He was going to be her friend and if after graduation he still felt this strongly for her, than he'd tell her. He wasn't going to take advantage of her, he'd never hurt her like that.

"I'm here, Catherine." Vincent gently whispered, his hand reaching up to gently hold her head. "Everything's going to be alright. I'm here and I won't let go of you."

Catherine whimpered against him as her tiny fist clutched his shirt even tighter in her grip. "Thank you." She weakly whispered.

Vincent gently stroked her hair. "I won't abandon you. Ever." He fiercely promised her.

Catherine pulled back and looked at him aghast. What in the hell was he doing promising her that? "Don't! You can't…you _can't_ promise me that! What are you doing promising me something that you know you're gonna end up breaking?"

Vincent gently brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I can keep this promise."

Catherine shook her head furiously. She was furious. She was furious at him for making her need him to the point where she'd run to him when she was this upset and she was furious at him for making fake shit promises that he was no doubt going to be taking back the minute she was no longer here.

"You don't _know_ that! What about when I'm gone?! What about when I'm no longer your student, Vincent?!" She shoved against his chest angrily. "What about when I'm no longer in this school or when it's the weekend even?! You can't-"

"I can!" Vincent interrupted her, framing her face in his hands. He needed her to believe him. "I don't make promises I can't keep, Sweetheart. I can keep this promise. I am here, Catherine. Even if we're not…even if _I'm_ not here in this class room, I'm still here ya know?"

Catherine looked at him stunned and amazed. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm here." Vincent firmly repeated, still gently holding her face and wipes away her fallen tears. "I will _never_ abandon you, Catherine. I am here."

Catherine tearily smiled at him as she reached out and touched his face in awe. No one had ever looked at her this way before and made her promises with such raw honesty.

"You're here." A half laugh, half sob escaped her. All of this was still so unbelievable to her. If anyone were to ever ask Catherine Chandler years later, she would tell them that this right here, right now was the specific moment she fell for Vincent Keller and fell hard. "No one's _ever_…"

Suddenly Catherine crashes her lips to Vincent's, kissing him intensely and desperately.

Vincent stiffens at first in both surprise and knowing that this was wrong no matter how right that it felt. His brain told him to push her away right now and stop this but the moment her tongue slides into his mouth, he instantly responds.

The attraction and the care he felt for her completely overrides his head. He grips her hips, pulling her closer to him. His hand reaches up and tangles in her hair.

He pulls her with him as he falls back into one of the chairs, his lips never leaving hers.

Catherine grinds herself against Vincent's growing hardness.

Vincent groaned, as he gripped her body to his even tighter.

God, he wanted her. He wanted her now. He wanted to come inside her and feel her warm heat all around him.

His hand reached up inside her shirt, cupping her soft breasts in his hand.

"Vincent," Catherine moaned.

"God, Baby…" Vincent looks up into her passion filled eyes and an intense wave of guilt comes over him.

What in the hell was he doing?!

His eyes scanned the atmosphere around them.

This was his classroom.

The same classroom that he taught in every single day and here he was about to fuck…no. He shook his head. He couldn't associate that crude word with the intense feelings that he felt for Catherine. He was falling for her. He almost made love to her…

A student.

He wanted and he almost made love to a seventeen year old student right here in his class room and the worst part was, he wouldn't have been able to regret it.

He didn't regret it.

Vincent looked back into Catherine's desperate and unsure eyes as he realized that she must or would soon be having a wake up call herself about what almost transpired between them.

_Christ, what am I doing? _Vincent thought to himself ashamed.

Catherine had come on to him clear as day the way she had kissed him, but he should have known better.

Catherine was young and vulnerable. She was a seventeen year old child for Christ's sake. She'd come in here…she'd come to him distraught and in need of comfort. She needed a friend. She needed someone to hold on to her. She had not needed some perverted older guy taking complete advantage of her the way he'd just done.

For the millionth time he asked himself, _What is wrong with me?! Just moments earlier I'd swore that I'd never do this and than I go and almost do it?!_

He felt Catherine's lips pressed against his neck and her hand was working the buttons on his shirt.

Vincent had completely come back to his senses and was painfully aware of how wrong this was despite how good and how right that it felt. He gently pushed against her. "Catherine." His voice was gentle yet urgent at the same time.

Catherine was so caught up in how much she wanted this man that his voice and his hands pushing against her weren't registering. She placed her lips against his and she felt Vincent seize her by the shoulders, completely pulling away from her lips. He forcefully held her a few inches away from him, so that there was actual space and actual distance between them.

"Catherine, we have to stop. I'm so sorry, but we can't do this, okay?" Vincent was gentle and his eyes grew pained at the devastation he saw in her eyes.

"Oh God." Catherine's eyes were filled with horror as she immediately got up off of his lap and straightened her skirt.

What was wrong with her?! This guy was her teacher for crying out loud. He was just trying to be her friend, he'd probably felt sorry for her and she goes and takes that as an invitation to throw herself at him like some kind of whore? What must he think of her?

Catherine's entire head was filled with self deprecating thoughts. Vincent's rejection was like a slap in the face, but it was also the reality check that she'd needed. She needed to stop wanting him, stop letting him in. Now was the time to shut him out and shut him completely. He was never…there was no future for them.

"Vin-" Catherine breaks off, realizing she needed to set things back to their proper order. "Mr K…"

Vincent shook his head, pained at the barriers that she was putting back up between them. She was letting him in and than he ruined it. Why did he let her kiss him? Why did he kiss her back? Why didn't he push her away? What in the hell had he been thinking? "Catherine, please. You don't have to…"

"Yes, I do!" Catherine interrupted him strongly. "My God." She shook her head, utterly disgusted and ashamed of herself…of her actions. "What you must _think_ of me…"

"Catherine, no." Vincent said sharply. He refused to let her take any of the blame and put herself down. He was the adult here. He should've pushed her away. "This isn't your fault. I don't think less of you. I could _never_."

Catherine looked at him in disbelief. "How could you not?!" She cried out. "I kissed you! I…I almost had sex with you! You! My teacher!" She held her head in her hands. "If you hadn't pushed me away…"

"I did though." Vincent pointed out. " I did push you away and this…" He motioned between them. "what almost happened here isn't all on you. I kissed you back. I pulled you on top of me…"

"I don't need a replay!" Catherine shouted. "I was there!"

Vincent sighed. "So was I. My point is I was here with you. I almost…I almost crossed a serious line and I am so sorry. It would've been the biggest mistake of my life to have-"

Catherine cut him off, unable to hear him tell her what a mistake she almost was to him. "You know what? We don't have to rehash this or make a big deal." She grabbed her things and headed for the door. "I won't tell anyone. You don't have to worry. I won't let what almost happened between us ruin your life or your career."

The last thing Vincent wanted was for Catherine to leave here thinking that she was some kind of mistake to him. He'd wanted her, he'd wanted her badly. Making love to her wouldn't have been the mistake. The mistake would've been taking advantage of her vulnerability and hurting her. He knew he should let her go, but his heart couldn't bare the thought of her believing that he thought she was a mistake.

Vincent battled between his heart and his head for a few moments. He saw her hand touch the door knob and he quickly rushed over to her. He couldn't let her leave this way. His heart had won out.

Vincent's hand gently covered Catherine's.

"Catherine, please wait." Vincent said gently. "That didn't come out right. You would not have been the mistake, being with you would not have been the mistake. The mistake would have been hurting you."

Catherine shook her head. "I almost ruined your career."

"I don't…I care about you, Catherine." Vincent said softly and truthfully. "I _care_ about you."

Catherine's eyes were pained as she shook her head. "Vincent, I'm not worth it."

Catherine pulled her hand out of his caring grasp and ran from the room, her mouth covered with her hand as tears streamed down her face.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I wanna thank all my reviewers and everyone who's still hanging in with the story. It means a lot to me. Hope you guys like this next chapter!

**Chapter 6**

"Catherine, wait!" In a flash, Vincent quickly caught up to her, grabbed her hand and slipped her a piece of paper.

"Wh-?" Catherine choked, tears were streaming down her face. She felt embarrassed to be caught crying, especially in his presence. Especially after what had almost happened.

"It's my cell phone number, Catherine." Vincent said quietly. "I always have it on me and I'll always answer. I meant what I said about wanting to be your friend, I do. I care for you so much and I know that something…_something_ other than what happened back there is hurting you. I want you to call me when you need to talk."

Catherine stared at him stunned. No one had ever done that for her before. No one had ever cared. "I don…"

"It doesn't matter how late it is or what time it is." Vincent continued. "Nothing even has to be wrong okay? You can call me anytime for anything."

Catherine wiped away her tears. "Anything?"

"Anything." Vincent confirmed. "If you're stuck some place you don't wanna be or you need a way out…call me and I'll come get you."

Catherine took a step back in disbelief. "Mr K, this has to go way _beyond_…teachers don't do this type of thing. Teachers don't give their students their cell phone number and pretty much offer themselves as a taxi service. Why are you doing this for me?"

"I told you, Catherine." Vincent said softly. "I care about you and this is what friends do. They look out for each other." He sighs. "Look, I know that none of this is conventional. From a technical stand point, I should have let you go. I should've never told you to call me Vincent, I should've never kissed you back and I shouldn't be giving you my number, but I did and I am. I don't regret any of what's happened with you. My only regret is that I didn't meet you sooner."

Catherine chuckled and Vincent noticed that it was a sad one.

"What is it, Catherine?"

"It's just…are you for real?" Catherine asked, running a hand through her hair. "Seriously, are you for real cause the last time I checked knights and good guys died off a long time ago."

"I'm no knight." Vincent replied with a shake of his head. "I'm just a man, Catherine. I'm just a man."

"It's nice of you all the same." Catherine said. "I have to go." Catherine turned away and turned back around. "I um…I care too." She looked up into his warm and caring eyes. "Way more than I should." She turned back around and left.

Vincent felt himself smile as he watched her walk away, her dark hair bouncing against her shoulders.

_She cares about me too_, Vincent thought and felt his heart flutter.

Flutter…

Vincent's smile dropped as he realized what was happening, what had already happened.

It was in this moment that he realized that he had fallen hard for Catherine Chandler.

Vincent backed into his classroom, shutting the door and sliding down against it.

"Oh, shit."

"Hey, Cat!"

Catherine sat in the desk as she pulled out her history book. "Oh, hey Tess." She forced a fake smile. She was still hurt from their last encounter.

Tess grinned back, completely oblivious. "So, me and the girls were talking….and you know what I think is the perfect solution to your downness?"

Catherine sighed. _No_, she thought to herself slightly annoyed. _But I'm sure you're gonna tell me_. "What's that, Tess?"

"A party!" Tess chirped full of bubbliness.

_Oh God. _Catherine thought to herself semi horrified. She hated parties. It was just another function she had to fake more happiness at. She was so tired of pretending all the time to everybody that she was happy when in fact she was fucking miserable.

"No offense, Tess but I'm really not in the party mood…"

"You're coming, Cat!" Tess stated authoratively . "Quit being such a stick in the mud. This is our senior year!" She grinned. "Senior! You know how long we've waited for this year, it's the perfect time to have a party."

Catherine ran a hand through her hair as she fought to search for some way to get out of this thing. "It's like only our second week, Tess."

Tess frowned. "So?"

"So, as _awesome_ as this party sounds…." Catherine put all her enthusiasm into sounding like she cared. "Don't you think it would be even _more_ awesome if you had this at the end of this year?"

Tess appeared thoughtful and Catherine had a smidge of hope that her friend was listening to her for once. "Oh my God, Cat!" Tess had the hugest grin on her face and it terrified her. Catherine knew that grin. What had she just put into her head? "You are like a genius!"

"Oh God," Catherine muttered under her breath in disdain.

"We'll have _two_ parties!" Tess gushed. "We'll have a party next week to celebrate how amazing this year is gonna be and on graduation we'll have a _graduation_ party! Oh my God, you so rock Cat!" Tess leaned across the isle to squeeze her friend tightly before letting go to pull her books out.

"Yay me." Catherine muttered dryly.

Just then the teacher came in, and the class quieted down.

Catherine spent the rest of that class and the next for that matter wondering what in the hell she was gonna do now.

It was about four thirty when Catherine pulled into the driveway of her mansion.

Catherine sat in her car for a few more moments, her head still spinning from her conversation with Tess.

"A party." Catherine spoke aloud. "I have to go to not one, but _two_ fucking parties?!" She groaned and than her eyes lit up a bit as a thought struck her. "What are the odds she'll believe I'm sick?"

Catherine shook her head, she'd figure something out. She always did.

She grabbed her bag and got out of the car, walking up the driveway and inside her house.

"Catherine!"

Catherine was taken aback by her parents cheeriness.

"Hello."

"How was school?" Todd asked.

Catherine dropped her bag in shock. "You never ask me that." She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What do you want me to do?"

"Oh, Catherine must you always be so paranoid?" Amelia asked in dismay.

Catherine shrugged, she'd never figure those two out. "Oh, well it was good. History was-"

"We just got off the phone with Tess's mother." Amelia interrupted.

Catherine just smirked. Of course. She knew there was no way in hell they actually gave a damn about her day at school. They always wanted something from her. "Yeah, about that….I think I'm coming down with somet-"

"Catherine Chandler, you're going to that party next thursday." Todd interrupted her firmly. "It's time you do something for this family other than for yourself."

Catherine just looked at them agape. When had she EVER done something for herself?! It was always 'we need this, we need that.' There was never any TIME for her to be selfish.

Todd and Amelia got up. "We have a ballet to go to. I do expect for you to go shopping tonight or tomorrow and get yourself something suitable." Amelia told her as she eyed her appearance critically. "You have a name to uphold."

With that they left, shutting the door behind them.

Catherine picked up her bag and walked up the stairs, to her room. She shut the door and slung her bag on her chair.

"I'm so sick of living for everybody but myself!" She shouted angrily.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out Vincent's cell phone number. He had told her she could call him for anything at anytime. She really did need someone to talk to.

_It wasn't just that_, she thought to herself. She wanted to hear his voice, needed to hear his voice. It always brought a calmness to her.

She grabbed the cordless and began to dial.

Vincent Keller had just gotten inside the door of his house, when he heard his cell going off.

He placed the groceries on the counter, as he grabbed his cell and pressed talk. "Hello?"

"Um, hey." Catherine's voice sounded slightly unsure. "It's Catherine. You said that I could call you…"

"Of course." Vincent quickly said. "You can call me. Is….Is something wrong?"

"Kind of…sort of…" Vincent could hear the trouble in Catherine's voice.

"What's going on?" Vincent asked concerned.

"You're not a teacher right now, right?" Catherine asked timidly. "I mean, anything that I say…you're not gonna…"

"Anything that you choose to tell me, strictly stays between the two of us." Vincent assured her. "What's wrong?"

"Everything." Catherine admitted. "My friends and my parents they want me to do something. They want me to go to something, but I don't wanna go, Vincent. If I go, than I have to pretend I'm happy and I think you and I both know that I am _not_…"

"Where do they want you to go?" Vincent asked. "I mean, if you want to tell me. You don't have to if…"

"No, it's fine." Catherine replied. "Tess is having this party…to celebrate senior year. I thought I'd talked her out of it," She chuckled bitterly. "but what I wound up doing was giving her the astounding idea of having two f-" She broke off. "Sorry. Two parties."

Vincent laughed softly. "It's alright. We're not in class, you can speak freely."

"Okay," Catherine replied. "If I can speak freely, than I fucking _hate_ this! My friends…my parents….they all want me to be something I'm not! And the worst part is…I don't think they care! I know my parents don't."

"Catherine," Vincent had a very hard time believing that her parents were really as heartless as she made them out to be. "of course your parents care. Did you try talking to them?"

"Yes!" Catherine shouted. "I tried and they told me that I needed to stop being selfish and think of the family. They said I have a name to uphold."

Vincent frowned. "Wow, that's…I'm really sorry, Catherine. So, you have 'those' parents, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked confused.

"I mean, you obviously…I mean, it sounds like you have socialite type parents. You know, the kind that care more about what people will think of them and their status, then they do…." Vincent trailed off, not wanting to say it.

"It's okay, Vincent." Catherine replied. "You can say it. They care more about their status than they do me. It's cool."

Vincent frowned. "It's not okay and how can you be cool with that? They're your parents, Catherine. I don't care that they were born with a silver spoon up their ass or not…it's their _job_ to take care of you, to put you first. And they are not."

Catherine lightly chuckled at the silver spoon part, and than her tone came out in sadness. A sadness that broke his heart. "Vincent…I made my peace with my parents not loving me a long time ago."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you to everyone who's reviewing and following! Your support of this story with so much controversy means a lot to me. Hope you guys like this next chapter!

**Chapter 7**

"_Vincent, I made my peace with my parents not loving me a long time ago." Catherine said sadly._

_Vincent felt his heart break at that statement. No one should ever feel or even think that their own parents don't love them. It was just devastating. "Catherine, that can't be true, Sweetheart."_

_There was silence and after a few moments had passed, Vincent was sure she may have hung up. "Catherine?"_

"_You uh…" He heard Catherine chuckle slightly, a hint of disbelief and nervousness. "You just called me 'Sweetheart'." _

"_Oh, uh…" __**That's brilliant, dumbass**__, Vincent thought to himself sarcastically. __**How the hell do you explain that one away? **__"I'm sorry, Catherine. I didn't….you know…" He closed his eyes, cringing over his words and how he had no idea how to explain this to her. "I use it a lot with my friends and I just wasn't thinking. It was inappropriate and I apologize."_

"_Right." Catherine's voice sounded overly cherry in a fake way and he could've sworn he heard a slight tremor in her voice. "You know what? I've gotta go."_

_**Shit. I've hurt her. Damn it to hell. **__"Catherine, what's wrong? I didn't mean to…"_

"_No, you're fine!" And there it was again, that damn fake cheeriness. "It's just…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "It's stupid."_

_Vincent felt his heart dropping and he felt himself panic over not knowing what he did or how to fix it. "What's stupid?"_

"_Me…I am…" He heard her voice get choked up slightly and it brought a tear to his eyes. "It's stupid of me to think that you could __**ever**__…"_

_Vincent closed his eyes pained. "Catherine, swe…" He cursed himself again as he nearly did it again. It was becoming hard for him now that he'd realized that he truly had fallen for her. "That's not…"_

"_Vincent, it's fine." Catherine insisted once again, her voice sounding more controlled. "I really do have to go."_

"_No, wait." Vincent almost shouted, his voice desperate. "Tell me what's wrong. You called me because everything was wrong. Please, just talk to me."_

"_I already told you!" Catherine shouted and than calmed herself. "I have to go to this party that I don't feel like going to and now I have to go buy a dress that MY parents and everyone else will deem acceptable…"_

_Vincent shook his head, angry with her parents and everyone else in her life that made her feel like she had to be everything but herself. "Catherine, you don't have to __**do**__ anything…you don't have to __**be**__ anything for anyone but yourself."_

"_That's a nice fantasy, Vincent but…"_

"_It's __**not**__ a fantasy!" Vincent snapped before taking a breath. "Please, listen to me. You matter, they don't. You are the most important thing and don't' let anyone ever tell you differently."_

"_Why couldn't I have met you later?" Catherine muttered. "Why couldn't you have just been an ordinary guy?"_

_Vincent knew what she meant, but he selfishly wanted to know where her head was at, how she felt about him. "I am an ordinary guy…"_

_Catherine chuckled bitterly. "That's not what I….forget it. I do have to go and shop for that dress. I'll talk to you later?"_

_Vincent sighed. "Of course you will. You can call me anytime for anything, you know that. I'll see you in class tomorrow, yeah?"_

"_Yeah." Catherine breathed before hanging up._

It was a week later. It was Thursday and it was the end of the day. That conversation had gone through Vincent's mind all week.

Earlier in his class she'd seemed just miserable and distant. She hadn't even come in to see him during lunch and that had him worried.

She was so young and so vulnerable and her life was just in shambles. She didn't have anybody and he wanted to be her somebody.

He was falling for her and he knew that it was crazy. They'd only known each other a few weeks and he had had other girlfriends, but he'd never felt for any of them a fraction of what he felt for Catherine. Their conversation last week had him thinking that maybe just maybe she was falling for him too.

He had to be her teacher, her friend and he had to be fair to her. He had to let her be a teenager and if after graduation he still felt this way for her and he still felt like she did too, than he would tell her. After graduation he would go to her and he would tell her what was in his heart for her.

"Vincent?"

Vincent turned around, startled at the familiar voice and he was stunned at the appearance of Catherine.

Make that stunned at the drop dead gorgeous version of Catherine. She was in a blue dress that went above her knees and her straps were spaghetti. She was stunning.

"Catherine." Vincent breathed. "You…you look beautiful."

Catherine slightly blushed. "Um, thanks. You look great too."

Vincent smirked. "You saw me a few hours ago. I didn't change."

Catherine shrugged. "Yeah well um…I just meant…" She walked further into the room. "So, I'm going to that party."

"Yeah, I figured that. I mean, by your appearance and all." Vincent smiled and than he frowned.

"What?" Catherine asked worried.

"You sure this is what you want?" Vincent asked her. "Last night, you were so conflicted and you said you didn't want to go."

Catherine shrugged again. "Well, I don't necessarily want to go to school either, but do I have a choice in that?"

Vincent chuckled. "Not the same, Sweetheart." He sighed as he saw her eyes dim at the name. "I'm sorry, I…"

"It's fine, Vincent." Catherine replied. "You can call me whatever you want."

"No, I _can't_." Vincent replied tightly. "You're my student and it's completely inappropriate for me to call you…for me to call you anything but your name. I'm sorry."

"Oh." Catherine said quietly. "Right. I um…I kind of liked it is all."

"Oh." Vincent said softly.

"No one's ever called me that before." Catherine admitted. "It was kind of…nice is all. It made me feel…"

"What?" Vincent asked, despite objections telling him not to.

"Special." Catherine breathed.

Vincent took a step closer to her. "You _are_ special, Catherine."

Catherine shook her head as she took a step back. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe when he was close to her. She did impulsive things, like throwing herself at him. "No, I'm not." She turned away, tears stinging in her eyes.

Vincent gently grabbed her arm, turning her to him and cupping her face in his hand tenderly. "You _are_ special…Sweetheart." He repeated gently.

Catherine breathed and she caught his scent. God, his scent was intoxicating. He was so close to her again, so close like last time. "To you?"

She noticed a dark haze come over his eyes as he nodded. "Yes." He whispered roughly. "To me."

"Vincent," Catherine breathed. "I…" Here came impulsive again, because before Vincent could even blink, she had jumped into his arms, her arms wounding tight around his neck and was crashing her lips to his.

Vincent caught her in his arms, he kissed her back heatedly.

God, she was so beautiful and she felt so right pressed up against him. He'd never wanted anyone more in his life.

"Catherine," Vincent groaned against her lips. "baby…what are you doing to me?"

"I…" Catherine lifted herself up to wrap her legs around his waist. "I want you."

Vincent's eyes widened, there had been signs and he had felt it but just hearing her say those words to him…it did something to him. "You don't…" He pushed her against the wall lightly, her still wrapped around him. "Oh God, you don't know what you're doing."

"Vincent…" Catherine grabbed his hand, placing it on her thigh. He groaned. "Please."

Vincent still fought against the desire he felt for her, still feeling like this wasn't right. "Catherine, this can't…"

"I'm falling for you!" Catherine blurted and Vincent's eyes went wide and he looked shocked. "I want you! I want this! I only feel…I only feel close to being happy when I'm with _you_."

"Oh, Catherine." Vincent looked at her sorrowfully, her confession like a bucket of ice water on him. He let go of her and untangled himself from her. "This isn't…I'm not the one for you."

Catherine shook her head. "You are! You're the _only_ one I can be real with and you're always there for me. You gave me your number…"

Vincent sighed. She was saying all these things that he wanted to hear her say to him, but it was too early. She was still his student and he couldn't take away her youth by allowing her to be with him.

"I want to be your friend, Catherine. I _am_ your friend. That's it. There's nothing else between us other than that. There can't be." He looked away from her pained features sadly.

Catherine felt her heart constrict painfully. "But you…you said I was special. You kissed me back! You were…" She blinked back tears as she looked at him desperately. "You have feelings for me, right? I know that you do!"

_Feelings? I'm fucking in love with you_, Vincent thought to himself angrily, but he couldn't tell her that. It wasn't the right time. He couldn't be selfish.

"Catherine," Vincent forced his voice to sound controlled and not like it was about to break. "I am your teacher, there is _nothing_…for you and me."

Catherine's face completely fell and for a second Vincent thought she was going to cry but instead she masked her face with a coldness. A coldness and an indifference that broke his heart and almost made him take it all back. And if he knew what things would be like…what she would be like the next time he saw her, he would've taken it back. He would've taken it all back and confessed.

"Oh." Catherine said softly, coldly. "I see. Sorry, I bothered you."

With that, Catherine took off, almost running out of the room.

It took everything Vincent had not to just run after her and pull her into his arms and tell her that it was a lie and that he did love her. He loved her so much.

He wanted the best for her, and a relationship with her high school teacher who couldn't even take her out publicly was not the best for her. After graduation, he would tell her. He would tell her what was in his heart and what she was to him. He only prayed it wouldn't be too late by then.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This chapter has a trigger warning for sexual assault. So be forewarned! Please review!

**Chapter 8**

"Cat!" Tess chirped cheerfully as she threw her arms around Catherine's neck. "You're here!"

"Of course!" Catherine forced out with fake happiness. "Where else would I be?"

"Oh!" Tess pulled back, not even questioning her friend's happiness. "This is gonna be the greatest party ever!"

"Yep!" Catherine forced a grin.

Tess frowned as she looked her friend over. She knew Catherine well enough to know when she appeared to be hiding something. "Hey…you ok?"

"Course!" Catherine lied, putting on her best fake smile. "Never better."

Tess smiled, content with the lie her friend had just given her. It was pretty much what she'd wanted to hear, so she didn't even question it. "Awesome. Well, I gotta go find Evan, why don't you go grab a drink and you just enjoy the party."

Catherine nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Meanwhile over at Vincent's house, he'd called his brother to come over for dinner.

Truth was, the last encounter with Catherine had him so upset and so tied in knots. He needed an outsider's point of view on the whole thing.

"Ok, so you really care for this girl? This….uh…Catherine, right?" JT asked.

His brother had been talking to him about this girl for quite some time. He had tried to tell him that it wasn't the best idea falling for an underage student, but he knew how his brother was when it came to his heart, he didn't think rationally, never has.

Vincent sighed. "Care? JT….I…" He runs a hand through his hair. "Jesus, who the fuck am I kidding? I love her, man."

JT appeared stunned but there was no judgment, and that was saying a lot considering he was a police officer but Vincent was his brother. He may not condone this but he would never judge him. "Wow. That uh…that's…"

"Fucked up, I know." Vincent cut in sharply. "Believe me, I've _tried_ to get her out of my heart and it's just not happening..."

"Hey," JT held up a hand. "I never said that, Vincent. I would never judge you, I hope you know that."

"How could you not?" Vincent continued on. "How could you not think it's fucked up or judge me?" His eyes went dark and JT could see the self loathing in his brother's eyes. "She's seventeen, JT! She's a child, she's my _student_!"

"We can't help who we love, Vincent." JT replied honestly. "We can't _choose_ who we love, it just happens. And while I'm inclined to agree with you that this is ten thousands types of wrong and illegal, I might add," He chuckled. "It might also just be ten thousand types of right…for you."

"Well, does almost having sex with that student just happen?" Vincent threw out, not missing his brother's shocked look. "Does it?! And is that ten thousand types of right?! Because it has almost happened twice with her! Twice, JT! I…I wanted her! My God, I want her and I know that it's wrong and completely unethical and a thousand other things, but it doesn't change the fact that I _want_ her. It doesn't change that I _love_ her!"

JT sighed. "Vincent…" He wasn't sure what to say to his brother other than the obvious. "I can't give you an easy explanation. I agree with you, this is pretty crazy but the heart isn't always the most sane thing in our body."

"I am a _horrible_ person, JT." Vincent choked out, blinking back tears.

When he thought of the look on Catherine's face tonight when he rejected her, when he did what he knew was best for her…it just broke him up inside.

JT was pained to see his brother so upset. "No, Vincent. You are not, you are a good man. A man I am proud to call my brother. If you weren't a good man, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You wouldn't even be feeling remorse for this situation that you're in."

Vincent shook his head, roughly wiping away his tears. He didn't deserve to cry. He wasn't the one who literally had no one and had just been rejected by the one person who swore he'd never abandon her. "I hurt her. I hurt Catherine. I broke her heart, I know I did. The _look_ in her eyes…"

"How so?" JT softly asked.

"She poured her heart out to me, man. She told me that she was falling for me, that she wanted me." Vincent breathed deeply. "If you knew her…She doesn't trust anybody. She doesn't _have_ anybody and I told her that I would never lie to her, never abandon her. I convinced her to believe in me and than I told her we had nothing."

"I'm sure you had your reasons. You feel bad for loving her because she's so young, right?" JT assumed.

"She's a senior in high school. This is supposed to be the greatest years of her life." He shook his head. "I couldn't let her give all of that up to be with a man who can't even take her out in public. We'd have to constantly hide. What kind of life is that for her? And as you so tactfully pointed out before….it's ten thousand types of illegal."

JT sighed. "And if you remember, I also said it could very well be ten thousand types of right for you, Vincent. Maybe you need to treat her like an adult and let her make her own decisions. You love her and if she loves you, than maybe you shouldn't fight that."

Vincent cocked his eyebrow at his brother curiously. "Are you encouraging me to hook up with a seventeen year old?"

JT laughed. "Um, no. I am telling you to follow your heart. I want you to be happy and if it's her, that's great. I hold no objections. Just…if this does happen to work out with her, I only suggest you hold out on being intimate with her until she's of age. Just to…just to cover your ass."

Vincent chuckled and then turned serious. "So, you think I should tell her that I lied? You think I should tell her that I do love her?"

"I think you should be honest with her." JT replied. "I think you should tell her what's in your heart and what you want for her. If you think it's wise to wait to get together until she graduates than tell her that. Don't wait. If you wait until graduation to tell her all of this, you could lose her. Could you handle that?"

Vincent took a deep breath before shaking his head. "No. No, I couldn't handle that. I love her too much to lose her forever."

JT smiled. "You are a good man, Vincent. You know the right thing to do. I'm not talking about the right thing society wise, I mean the right thing for you and for her."

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, I uh…I do know. I have to be straight with her. I have to tell her that I love her." He sighed deeply.

That was gonna be difficult with how cold he'd been to her tonight. He saw in her eyes that she'd believed him when he told her that they'd had nothing. What if he couldn't convince her of the truth?

JT frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I just…I just keep picturing her face when I told her there was nothing between us. It was…she got so cold, so detached. I failed her, I let her down." There was deep regret and sadness in Vincent's eyes. "I promised her I would never abandon her and in one quick motion I did everything I promised her I wouldn't do. What if she doesn't forgive me?"

"If you don't tell her the truth, Vincent you may never get the chance to find out." JT pointed out. "And take it from me, a guy with a lot more life experience than you….you don't wanna have that kind of regret. You don't wanna wake up one day and realize you let the only woman you could ever really love truly vanish from your life."

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I just…I just pray to God that she forgives me."

It had been an hour into the party and all Catherine could think about was Vincent and what he'd said to her.

Catherine downed a shot of tequila, determined to forget about him, about everything. She just wanted to go numb for a little while and than go home and crawl into bed.

She'd had seven shots so far and she was feeling the effects of the alcohol.

"Catherine?"

Catherine spun around at the voice, nearly losing her balance.

Yeah, she was feeling pretty drunk off her ass.

Her gaze focused on the person in front of her. "Um…Zed?"

He laughed. "Uh, no. Zeke, actually. Zeke James. You were close though."

Catherine shot him an apologetic look. "Oh, sorry. Zeke, of course. You're in one of my classes, right?"

Zeke grinned. "Yep. History and psych. So, wow!"

"What?" Catherine asked confused.

"You just look so beautiful tonight, Catherine." Zeke replied. "Your dress and your hair….wow, I must sound so lame to you."

Catherine blushed slightly. "It's ok. Thanks, Zeke. That's a sweet thing to say."

"So, I came over here and noticed that you seemed really down." Zeke commented. "Wanna talk about it?"

Catherine chuckled. "Not even a little bit. Just a bad day is all. Trying to relieve a little anxiety here."

Zeke nodded. "Yeah, I hear that. You uh…"

"What?" Catherine asked curiously.

"You wouldn't wanna dance would you?" Zeke asked.

"Well, I kind of do need to be finding my friends…" Catherine trailed off.

Zeke smiled. "C'mon, Catherine. Just one dance?"

Catherine looked up into his eyes. They seemed so nice and so not Vincent. Maybe if she danced with him, it would take her mind off of how hurt she was.

"Ok, why not?." Catherine smiled. "I'll dance with you."

Zeke grinned. "Alright."

Zeke took a hold of her hand and pulled her in close to him. Tightly. Almost a little too tight for Catherine's comfort level.

Catherine was beginning to feel her head sway and he was pretty much holding her up.

Her friends….

She really should find her friends. It had been at least a couple of hours.

The song had ended and Zeke pulled back from her. "You wanna go for a quick ride with me? Have some fun?"

Catherine liked this guy, he was cute and all, but she really needed to find her friends and there were alarm bells that were instantly going off in her head at the prospect of being alone with this guy. She barely knew him and he was coming on kind of strong.

"I really should be finding my friends. It's been over an hour and I need to get some studying done." Catherine replied.

"C'mon," Zeke smiled his charming smile. "just a quick ride. I wanna show you something and than I promise I will bring you back."

Catherine looked hesitant.

"C'mon," Zeke coached. "Come with me and I'll guarantee you the best fun you've ever had."

Catherine looked up at him intrigued. "How could possibly guarantee something like that?"

Zeke grinned. "Come with me and I'll show you."

Again, Catherine was hesitant. She was kind of drunk and once again she was reminded that she barely knew this guy. Going off with him alone wasn't something she should be doing. "Zeke, I really should…"

"C'mon, Catherine." Zeke once again insisted. "Just one car ride."

_Catherine don't do this,_ She could hear Vincent's voice in her head and in that moment she desperately wanted his voice out_. _

"Ok," Catherine gave in. "just a ride, but not long."

Zeke grinned. "Oh, trust me. This won't take long."

Catherine went with him and he showed her to his car. She got in and closed the door. Sam came around on the other side.

"Ok, you have got to try this, Catherine." Zeke handed Catherine an unmarked bottle.

"What is this?" Catherine asked curiously.

"It is the greatest drink you'll ever have." Zeke smiled. "It's totally got a kick to it."

Catherine opened the bottle and had she been sober, she would've never done this but she was still so distraught over the Vincent thing and she desperately wanted to feel anything else.

Once she drank it, she really began to feel things spin.

"You ok?"

Catherine shook her head. She felt like she was gonna pass out. "Zeke, I…I really think I need to lay down."

"Sure thing." Zeke replied. "I'll help you to a room."

Catherine nodded, beginning to feel really out of it to even bother to question what kind of motives this guy might actually have. "Ok."

A few minutes later, they were up the stairs and into a room.

Zeke shut the door. "Finally, all alone."

"What do you mean?" Catherine's head felt heavy and she couldn't really focus too well on anything.

"Well, now the party can really begin." Zeke smirked as he walked closer to her, grabbing her and forcing his lips roughly to hers.

Catherine pushed at him, weakly standing up. "No. You got…you have the _wrong_ idea."

"No, I think I have the right idea." Zeke grinned as he shoved her onto the bed, getting on top of her.

"No!" Catherine pushed at him again. "You're going too fast. I don't want this."

This was stupid. She was so stupid. Why did she go off with him? Why did she come to this party to begin with? She should've just listened to Vincent.

"Too bad," Zeke replied. "I do." He took his shirt off and pushed her back again, attacking her neck, his lips roughly bruising her skin,

"No!" Catherine yelled, panic sweeping over her as she shoved at him. This couldn't happen. Not to her. She wasn't gonna let this happen.

She reached behind her, trying to feel for her phone so she could press the one dial that would go straight to Vincent's phone, so someone would know she was up here, but she felt nothing. Than, she was struck with the horrifying reality that she didn't have her phone. She'd left it downstairs with her bag, turned off. "Get off me now! Get off!"

Zeke grabbed Catherine's hands, pinning them above her head roughly. "Look, Catherine, I'm much stronger than you. You won't win. Just lay back and enjoy it."

But Catherine wouldn't. She couldn't. She'd never had sex before and she'd be damned if it would be this way and with this ass.

"No!" Catherine lifted her leg up, kicking him directly in the balls.

Zeke groaned. "Stupid bitch."

Catherine got up from the bed and ran to the door, opening it. "TESS, HEL-!" The door gets slammed back shut by Zeke who had just come up behind her.

Zeke spun her around roughly, pinning her against the door. "Don't make one more fucking sound!" He hissed. "I always get what I want, Catherine."

"No," Catherine whimpered as she felt him kiss her neck. "No, please!" She was full on sobbing now and felt any hope of getting out of this situation die. This was really going to happen to her and there was nothing she could do about it, there was no one who was going to come to her rescue.

"Always," Zeke repeated and threw her down on the bed and got on top of her. He put his hand over her mouth. "this time will be no different,"

Catherine's screams became muffled against his hand, she kicked and kicked with all of her might but his stronger legs trapped her weaker ones down.

Zeke roughly shoved her dress up. "No underwear, huh?" He smirked as she cried against him. "I knew it. You want me. You dressed this way for me, my whore…"

_Vincent_, Catherine thought hopelessly. _I dressed this way for him and he didn't…he doesn't want me…he doesn't love me._

"No!" Catherine shouted again. "I don't want you! Get off of m-!"

"Shut up!" Zeke roared, slapping her across the face hard. His hand went to his jeans, unbuckling them, the sound making Catherine cry even harder. "See, I was gonna be nice about this, but who am I kidding? A girl like you…who dresses the way you have…you don't _deserve_ nice."

Zeke pulled out his hard cock and jammed it inside her as she screamed out in pain. The agony of this act, of this violent act being how this would be her first time to just tearing her in two.

All she could think about was Vincent. She'd wanted it to be with Vincent, but he didn't love her, he didn't want her.

After this….

After this she was certain no one ever would again.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I wanna thank all of you for the reviews! I know it's all gotten dark and angst but if you stick with it, there will eventually be a light!

**Chapter 9**

Catherine Chandler came to about fifteen minutes later.

She opened her eyes and tried to focus.

Everything was hazy and distorted.

Catherine turned to look next to her and saw the sleeping form of Zeke.

Instantly, flashbacks of the rape came hurling at her. She whimpered as she scurried off of the bed and ran over to the door.

She yanked the door open and stumbled out. She noticed a phone sitting on a table in the hallway. She walked over to it and picked it up, shakily dialing 911.

"_911, what is your emergency?" _Came a calm female voice.

Catherine was breathing heavily, part of her still felt drunk and not in a good way. "I need…" She grabbed the table for support. "I need help."

"_Could you please state the nature of your emergency, maim?"_

"What?" Catherine's head was pounding and the voice on the other end was starting to sound more and more far away.

"_Could you please state the nature of your emergency?"_ The operator repeated calmly. _"Do you need paramedics?" _The voice stayed calm to explain. There was not a single hint of frustration.

Catherine let out a tiny cry. "I'm so scared."

"_Is there someone with you? Can you speak freely?" _The operator asked, still calm.

"There's someone." Catherine said before she felt her remaining strength fade away and darkness completely overtook her.

"Thank you for everything, JT." Vincent said as he opened the door for his brother. "You have no idea how much you've helped me tonight."

JT smiled. "Well, I'm happy I could help you, bro. I love you, I just want you to be happy." He smirked as a glint of amusement came into his eyes. "Even if your happiness is with a seventeen year old who could get you thrown in jail."

Vincent groaned. "You know something, I'm actually not…"

JT raised his hand in understanding. "Not ready to joke about it yet? Say, no more. Seriously, though…I am happy you've finally found love."

"That is if she ever forgives me." Vincent sighed.

"Hey, she's gonna forgive you, Vincent." JT assured him. "You just tell her everything like you told me. She'll get it."

"I really hope so." Vincent said softly.

Just then, a beeping starting going off.

"Are you on duty?" Vincent asked curiously.

JT groaned. "I am now. Have I mentioned how thrilled I am that you didn't follow in my footsteps and become a police officer?" Vincent chuckled. "Seriously, I have almost no time to myself. I'm just lucky Alex has always been so understanding." JT picks up his walkee. "Yeah?"

"_Keller, there's some kind of commotion over at the Vargas. There was a 911 call and it dropped. It's probably some kids messing around come to think of it, but you are the only officer in the area right now. Can you-?_

"I'm on it, Roscoe." JT replied. "Copy that."

Vincent frowned. "You're going to Tess Vargas's?"

JT nodded. "Yeah, there was a 911 call and it dropped. I gotta check it out."

"I'm going with you." Vincent stated.

"What? Why?" JT demanded.

"Catherine is over there." Vincent explained, his eyes filled with worry. "What if something's wrong with her?"

"Vince," JT began in a stern voice. "I really don't think this is a good idea. How would you explain your being there?"

Vincent sighed. Damn it, his brother did have a point. How would he explain that?

JT sensed his brother's growing apprehension. "Look, I'm going, there's no need for you to go and jeopardize everything when we don't even know what's what, right?"

Vincent was hesitant. "I guess, but…" If Catherine was hurt or something and he didn't go because of his reputation, he would never forgive himself. When it came down to it, she mattered more than any of that.

"Listen, I'll personally track her down when I get there myself and see to it that she is fine." JT assured him. "If she's not, than I promise you I will call you myself."

"You'd do that?" Vincent's eyes were filled with gratitude.

JT just shook his head with a small laugh. "Of course, I would bro. I know how much she means to you. If it were Alex, I would be the exact same way."

Vincent breathed deeply. "Okay, but you promise if?"

"_If_ there is something wrong, I will call you." JT repeated firmly.

*Approximately, fifteen minutes later…*

There were voices.

Catherine hazily registered frantic voices all around her.

Zeke?

Catherine kept her eyes shut tightly. If there was a chance that Zeke was among those voices, she just wanted to pretend she was dead. Death was better than ever having to be presently awake for him to rape her again.

"Cat! C'mon! You have to get up!"

She recognized the worried but slightly annoyed voice of the girl who was usually so cheery.

Tess?

Catherine slowly opened her eyes and she moaned at the pain that she felt from in-between her legs when she tried to sit up.

"Catherine!" Tess snapped urgently, grabbing her friend's arm.

It was the way that Tess grabbed her arm in anger that sent Catherine flying back into a flashback of Zeke grabbing her arm in that same manner.

Catherine flinched and scooted back away from her, there was terror in her eyes and Tess just stared at her in confusion.

"Cat?" Tess sighed as she realized that for reasons that she did not get, she was scaring her friend. "What's going on? What happened? Are you okay?"

Tess threw the questions at her so quickly that Catherine couldn't quite answer them. Her bearings were not all there and honestly having a crowd of people hovering over you after….after what she'd just been through was not easing her panic in any way.

"Hey…miss are you okay?"

Catherine's head came up at the soft, gentle voice. She looked up into the eyes of a man not much older than Vincent. He reminded her of him. In her haze she almost thought that he maybe was Vincent. She began questioning if she was dreaming all of this.

"Vin…Vincent?" Catherine rasped out, her hand coming up to hold her head. God, it pounded.

"Cat, who the hell is Vincent?!" Tess shrieked. Nothing was making any sense with her and she was getting more than a little upset.

"I'm JT." He offered kindly, looking Catherine over worriedly. The girl did not look well. "Keller." He added as he saw some sort of recognition fly into the girl's eyes. "I'm an officer. We got a call for help."

Tess chuckled nervously. "And like I explained to this kind officer here, there is no _need_ for any help." A flash of anger flied into the girl's eyes. "Seriously?! Who called the freaking cops?!"

"It must've been Chandler!" One guy snapped.

Tess looked at Catherine in shock. "Cat? He's wrong, right? You didn't call the police did you? I mean, why in the hell would you? There's no need for-"

Catherine snapped, she couldn't stand her friend flying out questions at her anymore. She just wanted Tess and everyone else to just shut up. She wanted to go home.

"Yes!" Catherine blurted loudly, and than moaned as she felt shooting pain in her skull. "Yes, I called them."

"So, you made the call?" JT's tone was not judging nor were his eyes. "Catherine, right?" She nodded weakly. "What's going on? The caller said that there was someone after her."

"What?!" Tess yelled. "That is crazy! Cat, c'mon! Tell them this is a mistake!"

"Tess, I am talking to Catherine." JT calmly replied, giving the girl a stern look.

"There's…" Catherine cut off as she noticed someone standing far back in the crowd of students. It was Zeke and he was glaring at her. He moved his finger across his neck and pointed at her with an evil grin.

Catherine's body began to shake and she put her head in her hands and began to rock. She was willing his monstrous face to go away.

"Cat?" Tess reached out to pry Catherine's arm away from her face and she screamed.

"Don't touch me!" Catherine screamed as she practically crawled up against the wall. "Get away from me!"

"Baby, why don't you give her some space?" Evan stepped in, eying the friend of his girlfriend in deep concern.

"Space?!" Tess yelled. "She just fucking admitted to calling the cops!"

"Tess, baby lets just take a-" Evan began trying to calm her.

His girl was like a volcano when she got angry. He didn't know exactly what had happened but he didn't believe for a second that Catherine deserved to be on the receiving end of her wrath.

"No!" Tess snapped. "Officer Keller here just fined my parents! My parents, Evan! I'm gonna be in fucking hot water for like ever! Not to mention what began as an awesome party is now tainted!" Tess turned from her boyfriend and pointed an accusing finger at Catherine. "It's all because of her!"

Hot tears fell down Catherine's face. Tess hated her, everyone hated her. She wanted to speak so badly about what had happened to her, but with Zeke standing five feet away, she was terrified to.

What if no one believed her and he wound up doing something worse to her?

Tess stepped closer to Catherine until she was practically in her face. "Cat, we've been friends for a pretty fucking long time, right?"

Catherine nodded, intimidated by the close proximity of her angered friend. "Yes."

Tess lowered her to voice to almost a whisper, so that JT couldn't hear. "It's _because_ of the long time we have been friends that I haven't decked you yet, but I swear to God if you do not give me a really fucking good answer as to why you just ruined my party, I will fucking kick your ass out of my house and you'll never be welcomed back."

"Catherine," JT pressed, his tone still gentle. "I really need you to talk to me here. You don't have to be afraid. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I'm sorry," Catherine whispered, wiping away her tears. "the truth is I didn't mean to call."

JT's brow furrowed. "What do you mean you didn't mean to call? You dialed 911, did you not?"

The students snickered while Tess still looked pissed as ever and Evan wore nothing but sympathy for Catherine.

"I…" Catherine breathed. "I was feeling sick and I was trying to call a cab to take me home but the numbers looked blurry and I…" More tears stung at her eyes. "I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for troubling you and…" She looked into Tess's pissed off eyes. "ruining everything."

JT was hesitant to believe her but what could he do? He couldn't force her to say anything she wasn't willing to say. He'd have to buy this excuse. For now anyway. "Catherine, you realize you could get into an awful lot of trouble for making a false call for help?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes…I know. I really am sorry. I'm so sorry."

JT nodded. "Well, I'm gonna let you off with a warning. You made an honest mistake and you have no priers. I suppose it could happen to anyone. You really don't look well. I'm gonna take you home." He saw Catherine's stunned look at his kindness and he just faintly smiled at her. "And the rest of you, I suggest you all call your parents. I've already let them know about what's happened tonight."

All the students groaned and shot daggers at Catherine.

"Nice going, Chandler." A couple guys said snidely as they brushed by her.

"Tess," Catherine choked out. "I'm really…"

"Don't," Tess said sharply backing away from her. "talk to me. Ever. I'm gonna be in a shit load of trouble that's gonna last a fucking lifetime for me because you got," She lowers her voice to a mimick. "wasted and confused." She shook her head once again in anger. "Fuck you, Catherine."

Tess stalked off.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I'll try to talk to her." Evan said kindly before walking off to follow his girlfriend.

"Come on, Catherine." JT held out his hand for her to take. "I'll take you home."

Catherine stood up, refusing his hand. "Thank you, but I can walk on my own."

JT nodded and she followed him out.

Ten minutes later, JT had pulled into Catherine's driveway.

"Thank you," Catherine said softly.

JT nodded. "You're welcome. You know, I did call your parents."

Catherine looked up at him. "Oh?"

"Yeah and they said you were seventeen nearly an adult and that they had more pressing concerns than dealing with an over indulgent child." JT had a look of anger at the words and flashed her an apologetic smile. "I feel like I should apologize to you."

"For what?" Catherine asked puzzled. "It's how they are. It's no one's fault, certainly not yours."

"You know, if I could arrest them for being uncaring selfish beings, I so would." JT stated. "I'm really very sorry."

Catherine shrugged it off. "Like I said, it's how they are."

"You know…" JT hesitated on whether he should say anything but than felt it was only right. "My brother…Vincent…he cares a great deal for you."

Catherine struggled to look indifferent. "Well, I'm his student. He has this thing about helping his students…"

JT shook his head. "Catherine, I know, ok? He told me how conflicted he is, how much he loves you." She looked at him in shock. "He'd probably kill me for telling you this, but with how noble he is, it'll take him until next year to tell you." He lightly chuckled. "He made me promise that if you were at the party, I would find you and make sure you were okay."

Catherine's eyes widened. "He did? Really? He said all that?"

JT nodded. "My brother's a good man, Catherine. And I believe that you are a good person. You guys just met a little early is all, but there's nothing wrong with that."

Catherine blinked back tears. Everything was different now. What would Vincent think if he ever knew what happened tonight? "I should go in. Thank you for what you did tonight."

JT nodded. "You should call him. Let him know that you are alright. It'd mean more to him to hear your voice than to hear me tell him for sure."

Catherine merely nodded before getting out and disappearing into her house.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for the AMAZING reviews! I really love hearing how everyone feels about it! I promised there's a light and there will be. Hope you guys like this next chapter!

**Chapter 10**

Catherine slowly and painfully crawled her way up the stairs to her room. She'd lost the last of strength she'd had pretending she was fine with JT.

She was on her knees as her hand gripped the handle of her door knob. She slowly pushed herself up and she whimpered at the extreme soreness she felt from between her legs.

The door opened and she walked inside. She gasped and tears sprung to her eyes.

"Hello, Catherine."

Zeke was standing right in front of her, a smug smile on his face.

"No, no." Catherine shook her head desperately. "How do you know where I live?"

Zeke quickly made his way to her and Catherine quickly ran to open the door but his hand slammed it shut just like earlier. "I _live_ in you, Catherine." He laughed, breathing against her neck.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Catherine whimpered, fighting against him. She spun around to kick him but her foot met air. She tripped and fell down.

Catherine sat on the ground dazed for a moment. She felt her body still shaking. He'd looked so real, he'd felt so real.

She let out a light chuckle at the fact that she'd thought he was actually there in her bedroom. He didn't know where she lived. She'd only met him tonight.

The chuckle turned into a laugh, the laugh turned into a hysterical laugh, and the hysterical laugh soon turned into deep heart wrenching sobs.

Catherine sobbed into her hands, her small body curled up into the corner.

_I live in you, Catherine._

Catherine abruptly stopped sobbing.

God, she still smelled him. She still felt him on her, still felt him in her. He'd touched every part of her body in the most repulsive way and in this moment all she wanted to do was to scrub him off.

Catherine quickly stood up and ran for her bathroom that was adjoined in her room. She shut the door tightly behind her, locking it.

She pulled the dress over her head and tossed it to the ground, making a quick note to throw it away and she would. That beautiful, blue spaghetti strap dress was now a painful reminder of this horrible night and what she had lost.

Catherine pulled the shower curtain back and stepped in, turning the water on. She stepped under the hot spray and let the water pour over her. She closed her eyes.

"Catherine."

Catherine spun around and was stunned see Vincent standing in front of her, his arms were wrapped around her. "Vincent, you're here?"

Vincent's eyes were soft and pained. "Why, Catherine? Why did you let him touch you?"

Tears sprang to Catherine's eyes. "Vincent, I didn't…I didn't want him to! I'm so sorry. You _have_ to believe me!"

"We don't have a chance now." Vincent softly said before backing away from her.

"No!" Catherine shrieked, reaching out for him desperately. "No, Vincent! Don't leave me, please! I told him no, I swear to God I told him no!"

Vincent just continued to shake his head sadly. "It never would've worked, Catherine." And then he chuckled and his eyes changed from sad to a taunt. A taunt at her. "You're nothing but a spoiled immature child. What would I have possibly wanted with _you_ other than the obvious? That's gone…and so am I."

"Vincent, why are you saying this?! I fought him! Please!" Catherine cried brokenly, as she reached out to grab him, her hand hit the wall.

Catherine looked around the stall for Vincent but he had vanished.

"Vincent.." Catherine cried as she once again realized that he had been a hallucination just like Zeke had been. The only difference was she'd wanted Vincent to be real.

Catherine slid down the wall as she began to quietly sob into her hands. "Please." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't do this alone."

"JT," Vincent stood up eagerly as he saw his brother walk through his front door. "what happened? Is everything ok?"

JT wore a wary expression as he shook his head. "I wouldn't call this night an ok one, no bro."

"Well, what happened?" Vincent pressed, his mind racing with worry. "Is it Catherine? Is she-?"

"She's safe at home, Vincent." JT quickly assured his brother.

Vincent breathed a sigh of relief. "Good….that's …that's good. She should be home."

JT just shook his head. "I'm not sure home is any better than where she was."

Vincent nodded in agreement. "No argument from me there."

"You know about her parents, then?" JT surmised.

"Some." Vincent replied. "Catherine's talked some about them and what she has told me…." He sighed sadly. "Are they really as awful as she makes them out to be? I mean, I don't think she's lying or anything….but…what kind of parents don't give a damn about their own child?"

"The selfish kind, bro." JT replied solemnly. "The kind that are so into money that nothing else seems to matter. You see, Todd and Amelia Chandler are elite socialites and unfortunately Catherine's paying the price for it."

Vincent's eyes went dark. "It's not fair, JT. You and I never went one day thinking that our parents couldn't care less and Catherine…she thinks like that every day. She has…she has her fake parents and her fake friends. She doesn't have anyone."

"She has you."

Vincent nodded in agreement. "She does. If she ever forgives me that is. I just…I feel like each second that goes on with her in the dark thinking that she means nothing to me is another second for her to shut me out completely."

"It's a possibility." JT agreed, thinking back on what had occurred tonight.

"That can't happen. I have to…I have to tell her something. I mean, I can't tell her the truth…not yet, but I have to…" Vincent was caught between his desire to tell her everything and his desire to do right by her.

"There may not be any time for you to do damage control, bro." JT said. "I think I need to tell you something. You're uh….you're probably gonna be pretty pissed at me, but if I tell you….if I tell you about that party…I think you might understand where I was coming from."

Vincent groaned. He knew that tone all too well. It was the 'don't be pissed, I did it for your own good' tone.

"Oh God. What the hell did you do? Did you… you didn't tell her to stay away did you?" At JT's shake of his head, his eyes went wide. "Oh God, it's worse! You told her it was all lies, didn't you?!" At his brother's guilty look, Vincent punched the wall in anger. "You did! You didn't tell her I loved her, did you? Please, _please_ tell me you at least did me that one courtesy!"

JT shook his head once again, knowing what was coming next.

"Well, fuck, JT!" Vincent snapped, running a hand through his hair. "How the hell am I supposed to convince her of anything now?"

"Vincent, I get that you're pissed but there's a whole lot more going on with Catherine than just her teacher being in love with her." JT stated. "You didn't see her at that party. She was…something definitely happened."

The anger left Vincent's eyes and was replaced by worry. "Well, what happened?"

"The 911 call I got, that was Catherine." JT said.

Vincent's eyes widened in shock. "Catherine, called 911? Oh my God, what happened to her?" His eyes narrowed at his brother in anger. "I thought you said she was ok!"

"She is, bro." JT stated calmly. "At least physically anyway. I kept trying to get to her to tell me what happened. She was passed out when I got there and when she came to….well, it wasn't just me who wanted answers. Tess and the others got pretty shitty with her for calling the cops."

Vincent's eyes darkened at the thought of those bratty self centered kids. "Well, it doesn't matter what they think. I know, Catherine ok? I know her better than anyone. I _know_ her and she would never do something like that if she didn't have a good reason."

"She claimed it was an accident." JT recounted. "She said that she'd had too much to drink and accidentally called 911. I didn't believe her, but what could I do, Vincent? I couldn't force the girl to admit to something that I had no idea of even happening. Tess kept grabbing her and it scared her. At one point she completely freaked out and told her not to touch her."

"Maybe it was the alcohol?" Vincent asked. "I mean lots of kids get really drunk and they don't like it when someone tries to yell at them or tell them what to do."

JT shook his head. "In any other case, I'd say maybe, but….you didn't see her eyes when she said it. They weren't full of confusion, they were full of terror. I know intoxication and I know when someone's scared. That girl was scared. She wouldn't talk to me though and Tess told her she was no longer welcome in her house, so I drove her home."

"Wait a minute." Vincent's eyes turned angry once again. "So, Catherine called the cops because something obviously happened and instead of being concerned, Tess just tells her she wants her out of her house? What the fuck kind of best friend is she?!"

"She was very upset about the fine and the probability of her being grounded for the rest of her high school career." JT explained with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, boo-hoo!" Vincent snapped. "Maybe she should've thought of that before throwing a party that Catherine never wanted to go to to begin with! She's blaming her for a party that she threw and was her idea?!"

JT nodded. "She's blaming Catherine for ruining the party and getting her ass in hot water along with the rest of the student bodies."

"That's incredibly selfish." Vincent stated with a roll of his eyes. "No wonder Catherine said she'd like to throw her friends off a cliff." He muttered.

JT's eyes widened. "She said what?!"

Vincent just waved it off. "We were joking one day and….nothing, forget it. So, you took her home. Is that where you decided to make yourself God and tell her I lied and that I loved her?"

"Still mad about that, huh?"

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, I'm a little peeved. I'll get over it."

"I told her to call you." JT said. "I don't know what happened to her, but I do know that she should talk to somebody."

Vincent nodded. "Well, thank you. I mean that, by the way. Thank you for getting her home safely and thank you for…." He chuckles. "I'm even thanking you for telling her my feeling for her."

JT smirked. "Well, you're welcome. I do have to go though, I promised Alex I'd at least be home by one."

Vincent nodded with a finger pointing towards his door. "Go to it."

Vincent's cell starts to go off.

He grabs it off the table and it says "Catherine"

"That's Catherine." Vincent stated.

JT smiled softly. "Well, Good luck." With that, JT leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Catherine was all wrapped up in her terry white robe after her long shower.

She was curled up under the covers in her bed, with the phone pressed to her ear.

She needed to hear his voice.

She needed to hear the only voice that ever soothed her, with the hope that maybe just maybe it could even soothe her now.

"_Hello?"_

Catherine moved her lips to say something, but it's like it wouldn't come out. It's like her vocal cords were paralyzed or something.

She heard Vincent sigh and she knew he knew that she was on the line.

"_Catherine, I know you're there."_

This time something did come out but to her horror, it was a whimper from her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she realized that she was crying.

It wasn't bad enough that she had broken down like an idiot and called him and said nothing but now she was crying?!

God, she was such a loser.

"_Catherine," _She could've sworn she heard his voice slightly break. _"Please….please, don't cry. Just…just talk to me, please."_

Catherine didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. She didn't even know where to start.

Did she start with how he broke her heart, how that party and Zeke had completely ruined her life, or with how JT claimed he really did love her? There was just too much and she didn't know how to say any of it.

She heard him sigh and for a moment she was terrified he was going to hang up. Selfish as it was of her, his voice was the only thing keeping her grounded, the only thing that was keeping Zeke away.

"_I'm glad you called me. I wasn't sure if…after what…."_ This time she was defiantly sure she heard his voice break and it caused her to cry a little more. _"Oh, baby I'm so sorry. I didn't…I meant __**nothing**__ that I said to you tonight, ok? I want…I want __**everything**__ that you said. It's still not….damnit it's still not what I want____for you! It's not what I think that you deserve, but damn it I l__**ove**__ you and I almost don't care."_

Catherine cried harder at his words. He was saying everything she'd desperately wanted to hear but it was too late now. If he…if he knew about Zeke, he'd never want her.

"_Baby, I know I hurt you. I __**know**__ that. I am just…I am so sorry. We could…we could have something real. I know we could. I know that we __**do.**__ Just, please….I need you to talk to me. Say something, anything."_ His voice was desperate and urgent.

This time words did come out but they were the last ones she'd ever meant to say and she would never figure out why out of everything she could've said to him, these were the ones that popped out.

"I want you to forget you ever knew me." Catherine's voice broke as she breathed deeply. "Just stay away, Vincent."

"_What? No. Catherine, please don't…" _Desperation could be heard in his voice and she was pretty sure she heard it break.

Catherine quickly pulled her phone away from her ear, even as she heard his desperate pleas. She hung up and turned her cell phone off, carelessly tossing it a few feet away.

She put her head in her hands and proceeded to break down in heart wrenching sobs that would last all through the night.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Once again thank you all SO much for the reviews! It makes me so happy to open my inbox and see them there. Hope you guys like this new chapter and feel free to tell me your thoughts!

**Chapter 11**

"Catherine, what on earth-?"

Catherine was at the bottom of her stair case, dressed for school and just in time to see the disdain in her mother's eyes. "Morning." She said stiffly.

Amelia just scoffed. "That is the ugliest shirt I've ever seen. Please go change into something else. Something that won't embarrass your father and I."

Catherine just rolled her eyes. "It's school, mom. Not a fashion party. I doubt anyone will care how I look." And they wouldn't care how she looked. After last night, nothing would ever make her look right again.

"People _always_ care, Catherine!" Amelia snapped. "Even when they say they don't, trust me they do! Now change!"

Normally Catherine would just sulk and go back upstairs and change but ever since what happened…ever since her rape, she didn't care about being obedient anymore. There was nothing she was scared of because the worst had already happened to her. And….Catherine Chandler was in a defiant mood.

"No." Catherine answered softly.

"Excuse me?" Amelia asked in an incredulous tone. "Young lady now is not the time to be playing games with me, now go change!"

"No!" Catherine yelled, taking another step down. "I am not playing games with you, mother and I am _not_ changing!"

Amelia's eyes narrowed to glare at her in anger and disapproval. "And why not?! Why are you choosing _today_ to be defiant with me?!"

"I'm not choosing, I just am." Catherine replied simply.

"Not good enough." Amelia replied briskly. "I want an honest reason why you won't change out of that hideous outfit!"

"You want an honest reason? Here's one." Catherine countered.

Amelia was wary. "Ok?"

Elena licked her lips and picked up her bag. "I like this outfit. I feel comfortable in it, and I am _choosing _to wear it. So, since I am the one who is being seen in it and who has to walk around all day, I am choosing what I want to wear. I don't tell you what to wear."

"Honestly, Catherine must you be so contrary?" Amelia asked in disgust. "You have a name to uphold."

Getting fed up with her mother's constant put downs, Catherine slams her bag down and stalks up to her mother.

Amelia almost looks intimidated. Almost.

"I am well aware that I have a fucking _name_ to uphold." Catherine spat venomously. "You and father never fail to remind me every day, every minute of my fucking life!" Amelia's eyes were wide. "Today, I am going to hold up my name. My name is Catherine, mom. It's not Amelia and Todd Chandler. It's Catherine." Then she added insult to injury. "In case you've forgotten."

Catherine went back to where her bag set and picked it up, swinging it over her shoulders. She walked over to the door.

Amelia was too shocked to say anything. She just stood there staring out into space.

Catherine stopped at the door and turned around. "In short, mother…I am _done_ falling in line." With that, Catherine stormed out and slammed the door.

Catherine pulled into the school's parking lot and for the first time she really, really hoped she didn't run into Vincent.

She'd hung up on him and he hadn't tried to call her back. She didn't really know what she was so surprised about. She'd basically told him to get lost after he'd confessed his love for her.

What guy would call back?

_Hell, I wouldn't have called me back_, Catherine thought to herself in disgust as she walked up the steps and inside the school.

The truth was that it was just easier to let him believe that she hated him. It was easier because if he was mad at her and wanted nothing to do with her, it made it that much less painful than spilling the truth to him and having him look at her in pity for the rest of the year.

Catherine was momentarily torn away from thoughts of Vincent when she saw Tess over at her locker.

She took a deep breath and walked over toward her. She didn't really know what she was going to say but she owed her something. She felt horrible about what she'd caused to happen at her best friend's party.

"Hey, Tess…" Catherine was cut off from whatever she was about to say as Tess angrily shoved her to the ground.

Catherine just sat there winded and shocked. "Tess-"

"Don't," Tess cut her off sharply with hatred in her eyes. "Do not get up, do not address me. How about from now on, I don't exist to you, okay?" She stared Catherine down with disgust. "Because you sure as shit do not exist to me."

With that Tess stormed off leaving Catherine on the ground, tears forming in her eyes.

Catherine wasn't sure how long she just sat on the floor quietly crying into her hands. Suddenly she felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder and she flinched away.

Oh God, was it him?

Was she alone with Zeke?

"No, No," She whimpered, curling herself against the locker.

"Catherine? Sweetheart?"

It was that voice. That velvet voice that was always so gentle. She slowly looked up, hoping against all hope that it was her angel and not that monster.

"Vincent…" She breathed slowly.

Vincent nodded gently and patiently. He looked her over in deep concern and sadness. "I was so worried about you. You hung up last night...I actually wasn't sure if you'd even be here today."

"Where else would I be? I have a name to uphold." Catherine whispered, just staring straight ahead.

Vincent's heart broke. What was she looking at?

He breathed deeply and took a seat next to her on the floor. He didn't grab her hand or touch her like he wanted to. He just sat with her.

"Why are you sitting on the floor crying, Sweetheart? Did something happen?" Vincent asked gently.

Catherine blinked back more tears as she struggled to get control of her emotions. "Just my life." She breathed a ragged painful breath. "Just my worthless existence of a life."

Vincent frowned at that. She didn't deserve any of the sorrow that had been bestowed upon her in her life and he really wished he knew what had happened last night, so that he could help her.

"How about I take you home, Catherine?" It wasn't a demand, it was soft gentle request.

Catherine finally seemed to snap out of her trance and she got up. "I thought I told you to stay away from me." She picked her bag up and walked into his classroom.

Vincent immediately got up and went in after her, closing the door behind him. It was his free period so he didn't expect any students and he really didn't want to be interrupted talking to her.

"Besides you shouldn't be using your free time to take some basket case home anyway," Catherine continued darkly. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors."

Vincent's eyes darkened. "You're not a basket case. I hate when you talk about yourself like that. And I don't exactly listen to gossip, Catherine."

"Why are you even talking to me anyway?" Catherine asked. "I told you to stay away. Forget you knew me."

Vincent let out a wry smile. "Well this is my classroom, Catherine. As for forgetting you….sorry to disappoint you but that is _never_ going to happen."

Catherine opened her mouth to retort but realized he was right. This was his classroom. "Fine, I'll leave."

Catherine moved to go to the door and Vincent quickly followed her, placing his hand against the door, practically caging her against it.

Catherine knew that this was Vincent and that he wouldn't hurt her but she was more than a little uncomfortable that he was this close to her.

"Vincent," She breathed shakily. _He's not Zeke, he's not Zeke, he's not Zeke. _"What are you…what are you doing?"

"I can't let you leave like this," Vincent shook his head, not even realizing that his actions were causing her to shake like a leaf. "You called me last night crying and than you told me to forget I knew you and hung up on me."

"Vincent," Catherine breathed, the memories of last night were beginning to overtake her as she felt trapped against this door. "please let me go."

"I know I hurt you," Vincent continued, still not realizing that he was actually scaring her. "but I didn't mean any of what I said to you. I thought I was doing what was best for you. I was thinking with my head instead of with my heart."

He reached out and gently grasped her cheek with his hand. It was when he touched her that he felt her violently shaking. Was she…was she actually afraid of him?

Catherine shoved him away with all her might and he actually did stumble back, not from her strength but from the realization that the girl he loved more than anything was actually scared of him.

Vincent looked at her in confusion and deep concern. "Catherine, what is it?" He saw tears enter her eyes and it broke his heart. "What's wrong?"


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I wanna thank you all for the AWESOME reviews! I think we're nearing a 100 which is just incredible. While I appreciate any and all reviews…just want to point something out for those that are confused. I never intended for this to be LIKE the show. It's not in the same world as the show. It's alternate universe. And if you guys wanna skim back to chapter 4, I realized that there was a missing chapter that I never posted, lol! Oh and I went back and re-edited because it was brought to my attention that apparently I never explained the time jumps to you all. Vincent/Catherine have actually known each other for over a month. Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter!

**Chapter 12**

Catherine was shaking as she protectively wrapped her arms around herself.

Vincent was watching Catherine worriedly. He'd never seen her like this before. The way she was holding herself reminded him so much of his sister, Emily. Her mannerisms were almost exactly the same as Emily's. It terrified him to think that she could've been hurt like that.

"Catherine…" Vincent decided to test it, to see if he was right and prayed to God that he wasn't.

He reached out to touch her shoulder and the minute his fingers made contact with her, she violently flinched away as if he tried to burn her.

Tears stung his eyes. She'd been raped, he just knew it. He wouldn't if he hadn't seen the same thing happen with his sister, but he had. He'd screwed things up so badly with Catherine, he had to try to get her to trust him.

"Catherine," Vincent forced his voice to come out as calm and soothing and to keep all the anger out. The anger that he felt deep inside for whoever had dared to hurt her. "do you want to sit down?"

Catherine was silent for a few moments and than she looked up into Vincent's caring eyes. Just like that her shaking started to lesson, it wasn't as violent as before.

"O…ok." She murmured.

Vincent gave her a small patient smile. "It's alright, Catherine. You're safe here."

Catherine followed him and sat at one of the empty desks. "I don't…I don't really know what to say to you, Vincent." She looked up at him, tears were forming in her eyes. "I kind of…I kind of thought after what I said to you last night…"

"None of that matters, Catherine." Vincent replied softly.

Tears streamed down Catherine's face. "It matters!" She hiccupped. "I said things I didn't mean, Vincent." She looked up into his pain filled eyes. "I lied to you. I was…scared."

"What scared you?" Vincent gently countered.

"I never should've gone to that stupid party!" Catherine cried. "My life is ruined!" She sobbed. "Nothing's _ever_ gonna be the same!"

Tears stung Vincent's eyes. It broke his heart to see her so broken. "Baby," He nearly reached out to touch her but quickly took his hand back, remembering how she'd reacted the last time he tried to physically comfort her. "talk to me."

"You already know, don't you?" Catherine roughly wiped away her tears. "God, I can see it in your eyes! The disgust…"

"No!" Vincent sharply replied. "I'm feeling a lot of things for you right now, Sweetheart but disgust is most certainly not one of them."

"But you know? How do you look at me and just…_know_?" She softly asked.

Vincent sighed. "Did I ever tell you that I had a sister?"

Catherine looked at him in confusion and than sadness entered her eyes. Sadness for him. "Had?"

"Yeah…I lost her a few years ago." Vincent admitted softly.

"I'm really sorry, Vincent." Catherine replied genuinely. "What happened?" In all honesty she was grateful to have something else to focus on other than her pain. It was some what of an escape.

Pain filled Vincent's eyes and he blinked back tears. Time still had not eased the hurt of losing his baby sister. He didn't know if it ever would.

"She committed suicide." Vincent finally admitted.

Catherine was horrified. "Oh my God, Vincent…"

Vincent breathed deeply. "She was in a lot of pain and rather than talking to me, to anyone…she took the wrong way out."

"What…what was causing her pain?" Catherine whispered.

"I think you know." Vincent whispered.

"What? I didn't even _know_ her, how would I know what caused her enough pain to take her own life?" Catherine cried.

Vincent decided to change tactics. "I see a lot of her in you, you know?"

Catherine glared at him. "I'm _not_ suicidal, Vincent!"

"I wasn't implying that you were." Vincent calmly responded. "I meant that I see her qualities in you. You're beautiful and you have a pure heart, just like she did."

Catherine shook her head, tears streamed down her face. "I don't feel beautiful." She roughly wiped her tears away. "And I can assure you that there isn't a pure thing about me or my heart anymore."

Vincent looked her over intensely for a moment before responding. "And I can assure you, you're wrong. On both accounts."

"I've been wrong about a lot of things, Mr K." Catherine replied, her tone cold and indifferent. "But not this."

Vincent sighed. "It's Vincent."

"And it's Mr K to me." Catherine responded sharply. "You're my teacher. It's inappropriate. There's _nothing_ between us." She breathed deeply as tears stung her eyes. "There…can't be." She covered her face with her hands and broke down crying.

"Catherine," Vincent choked back a sob of his own just seeing her fall apart like this. "I'm so sorry I hurt you." He reached out to gently place an arm around her shaking shoulders and was hurt when she involuntary flinched but relieved that she didn't try to pull away.

Catherine leaned into his comfort as she sobbed harshly.

After what had happened to her, she couldn't even contemplate the idea of anyone touching her without her wanting to throw up, but with Vincent it was different. He wasn't just anyone, he would never be just anyone. She was in love with him. He was the only one to ever make her feel like she was cared for.

"I don't know what hurts more." Catherine cried out.

"Then tell me what _does_ hurt you." Vincent gently spoke. "I'm here, baby. I love you." As if sensing her thoughts, he added. "No matter what. You're not alone."

_I love you too, Vincent. _Catherine tearfully thought to herself. _But I'm scared once I tell you, you won't anymore._

"I…" This was stupid. He knew how she felt about him. She laid it all out last night, but saying them again after she'd been rejected by him before…saying them again when she was this vulnerable was just too scary for her. "I'm scared." She finally settled with.

"Of what?" Vincent gently whispered. "Catherine, tell me what you're scared of. Lets start there."

"Something happened to me last night." Catherine admitted tearfully. "I'm afraid once I tell you what it is that you'll take all of this back."

Vincent's heart broke at that. There had been signs but she was already confirming what he feared had happened to her.

"I won't, Catherine." Vincent firmly assured her. "I love you and there is _nothing_ you could ever say or do that would ever make me take that back."

"I went to Tess's party and I was miserable the second that I got there." Catherine tearfully began. "I think Tess could sense that something was up with me but she didn't press me." She chuckled bitterly. "She so eagerly accepted my claim that I was fine. Then again, she always has. No one knows me anymore. No one cares."

That wasn't acceptable.

Vincent refused to let her believe that was true.

"Hey," He gently tilted her chin upwards so her eyes would meet his. "_I_ know you. _I_ care. I always have and I always will. Don't forget that and don't let anyone including yourself make you think differently."

"You're the only one that ever has." Catherine softly replied. "I spent the next three hours at that party thinking about you. I wanted it to stop, I wanted my pain to stop. I drank so much it's a wonder I didn't end up with alcohol poisoning."

"Catherine," Vincent whispered, hating himself for how much pain he had caused her with his lies. "I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I was convinced that if I let you be with me, I would just end up hurting you more."

Catherine blinked back tears. "I know but that doesn't really matter, Vincent. It hurt _more_ without you. If you hadn't said those things…if I hadn't left here convinced that there was not a single person on the face of this planet that cared anything about me, than maybe…"

Anguish was etched in Vincent's features. "Maybe what, Catherine?"

"I think you know." Catherine painfully said.

"Please tell me." Vincent gently demanded. "Catherine, please let me help you."

"You can't help me." Catherine whispered.

"Tell me what happened." Vincent repeated.

"I was drunk. There was this guy." Catherine blinked back tears, taking a shaky breath. "He seemed nice, but…"

"But what?" Vincent softly asked. "Did he…?" He felt anger welling up inside of him at the mere thought of it. "Catherine, did he hurt you?"

A lone tear rolled down Catherine's face. "I guess I got what I deserved."

Vincent's entire being filled with anger, sadness and disgust. "No!" He sharply snapped. He regretted his brief loss of control when he felt her slightly shake in his arms.

"Catherine," He breathed deeply, trying to calm down if nothing but for her sake alone. "what are you telling me?"

"I.." Catherine couldn't even look at him and utter these words. She couldn't bare the disgust she knew she would see etched in his features, in his eyes once she did. "I lost my virginity last night. With him."

Vincent wanted nothing more than to press her for a name and than race out of here and torture the life out of whoever had done this to her. She was either raped or she was taken advantage of and no matter which of the two it was, it warranted the guy nothing less than death in his book.

"Catherine," Vincent titled her chin up to meet his warm and caring gaze. "did you want it?"

Tears stung Catherine's eyes as she looked into his with such uncertainty. "What?"

She couldn't believe he wasn't looking at her in disgust, that he was even able to look at her at all. He was looking at her the same way he always had except with even more intensity and caring. It blew her away and it broke her heart.

Vincent already knew the truth. Already knew what had most likely happened and what her answer would be, but he still needed to hear it from her. And he knew that her admitting what had happened would be the first step in her recovering from it.

"Sweetheart, did you _want_ to lose your virginity to him?" Vincent repeated gently.

Catherine gasped.

Was he really asking her that? Didn't he know that if she'd had any choice in the matter that it would've been Vincent that she'd lost her virginity to and not anyone else? Didn't he know that she loved him?

"Vincent…" Catherine whispered brokenly.

"Catherine, were you…" Tears rolled down Vincent's face. "Baby, were you _forced_?" His voice came out hushed and his eyes looked anguished.

"Yes." Catherine softly replied before losing all composure and breaking down into sobs.

"Oh, God." Vincent had just known it but hearing her admit it… "Catherine, I'm sorry." His voice broke as a small sob made it's way out of his throat. "Baby, I am _so_ sorry." Then all at once he looked into her eyes with urgency. "What do you need? Please, tell me what you need Elena. I'll do anything for you. _Anything_."

Catherine sobbed. "I thought you knew, Vincent. I thought you knew that if I'd had a choice in _anything_ in this entire universe…" She placed her hand against his heart, her fingers gripping the material of his shirt. "I love you."

Vincent choked out a cry at that. He smiled gently at her through his tears. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear you say that to me. I love _you_, Catherine. With all of my heart. This doesn't change that. I need you to know that."

Catherine managed a smile back through her tears. "I wanted you. I wanted to give my virginity to you. I still…" Her features twisted in broken agony. "You're the only one, Vincent! The _only_ one…"

"Come here." Vincent rasped. "I want…Catherine, can I please hold you?"

Catherine wanted to be enveloped in his embrace more than anything but she didn't want to risk someone seeing. She didn't want to put Vincent in that kind of position.

"Vincent…" There was hesitation in her voice.

"Can you trust me?" Vincent gently asked, mistaking her hesitation for fear. Fear of him. "I swear you're safe with me, Sweetheart."

Catherine quickly shook her head, realizing he had the wrong idea. "It's not that. I'm not…you don't scare me, Vincent."

Vincent's features relaxed in relief. "Then what is it?"

"What if someone sees us?" Catherine whispered.

_That's what she was worried about? After the hell she'd just been through and at my hands no less, she was worried about my stupid reputation? _Vincent thought to himself amazed.

"I couldn't care less." Vincent softly told her. "But if it makes you feel more comfortable…"

Vincent stood up and walked over to the classroom door and the window. He pulled the blinds down, effectively shutting out the rest of the world.

Catherine let out a small smile.

She walked across the room over to him. The space between them was almost closed.

Vincent gently smiled at her, even as tears still entered his eyes. "Catherine, can I hold you?"

He didn't receive a verbal answer but the moment the question left his lips, she rushed forward into his arms. Her hands clenched his shirt tightly as she cried into his chest.

"It's alright, Sweetheart. I'm here, I love you and I won't let go." Vincent carefully wrapped his arms around her, as if he were afraid of hurting her.

He didn't know the details of her assault, nor did he know if she'd even reported this. He didn't even know if she'd went to the hospital to get checked out but he prayed that she had.

Those were all questions he planned on finding out the answers to, but for the moment what mattered to him the most was that she knew that he was there for her and that he loved her.

The rest…

The rest would all come later.


End file.
